Depth and substance is often lacking from any biography of Richard Brautigan.

Brautigan himself helped create this problem through his hinting, conflating, or fictionalizing, both in his writings and stories told to friends and family, some of the autobiographical details of his life.

Accounts provided by friends and family are often confusing or conflicting.

As a result, the details of Brautigan's life are often sparse and based more on lore than fact.

Brautigan Bibliography and Archive attempts to rectify this problem by overlaying disparate information sources with ethnographic research to provide a basic, but accurate, accounting of Brautigan's life and works.
American writer Richard Gary Brautigan (1935-1984) produced eleven novels, ten poetry collections, and one collection of short stories, as well as five volumes of collected work, several nonfiction works, and a record album of spoken voice recordings.

Throughout all his work one notes Brautigan's detached, anonymous first person point of view, his idiosyncratic, autobiographical, quirky, yet easy-to-read prose style and episodic narrative structure full of unconventional but vivid images powered by imagination, strange and detailed observational metaphors, humor, and satire, all presented in a seemingly simplistic, childlike manner. His best known works include his novel, Trout Fishing in America (1967), his collection of poetry, The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster (1968), and his collection of stories, Revenge of the Lawn (1971).

Richard Brautigan is also often cited as the author to best capture the zeitgeist between the ebbing Beat Generation and the emerging San Francisco Counterculture Movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s. Today, the legacies of both the Beat and Counterculture literature endure as writers, readers, artists, and musicians find inspiration in the works of Richard Brautigan. This interest is international, with his works translated into more than twenty languages. There is also, a large collector and rare book market for the long out-of-print works of Richard Brautigan, as well as specialty publications.

Brautigan was born in Tacoma, Washington, on 30 January 1935 and grew up in the American Northwest. As an adult he was mysterious about his family, sometimes saying he had none, sometimes weaving them into his writing in imaginative ways. A clear picture of his family history is, therefore, confusing. We do know, however, that Brautigan had little contact with his father, that he had several step-fathers, and that he abandoned all family ties when he left his boyhood home for San Francisco. He married twice and is survived by a daughter.
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By 1956, Brautigan had settled in San Francisco, California. There he sought to establish himself as a writer, was known for handing out his poetry on street corners, and often participated in "Blabbermouth Night" readings at The Place, a popular gathering spot for artists and poets. His first published "book" was The Return of the Rivers (1957), a single poem, followed by two collections of poetry: The Galilee Hitch-Hiker (1958), Lay the Marble Tea (1959).
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Although he knew the Beats, and they him, Brautigan always insisted he was not a part of their literary movement. Contemporary literary opinion supports this contention, seeing Brautigan, when his novel Trout Fishing in America catapulted him to international fame in 1967, as the writer best representative of the emerging counterculture. His first novel, A Confederate General from Big Sur (1964), met with no success when first published. Brautigan published four collections of poetry: The Octopus Frontier (1960), All Watched Over by Machines of Loving Grace (1967), The Pill Versus the Springhill Mine Disaster (1968), and Please Plant This Book (1969), as well as another novel, In Watermelon Sugar (1968) during this decade.
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Brautigan vowed not to write sequels to Trout Fishing in America, however, and in subsequent novels experimented with different literary genres: The Abortion: An Historical Romance (1971), The Hawkline Monster: A Gothic Western (1974), Willard and His Bowling Trophies: A Perverse Mystery (1975), Sombrero Fallout: A Japanese Novel (1976), and Dreaming of Babylon: A Detective Novel 1942 (1977). Collections of poetry published during this decade included Rommel Drives On Deep into Egypt (1970), Loading Mercury with a Pitchfork (1976), and June 30th, June 30th (1978). Brautigan also published a collection of stories: Revenge of the Lawn (1971).
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General dismissal by literary critics reversed Brautigan's initial literary success and his popularity waned throughout the 1980s. Brautigan published two novels: The Tokyo-Montana Express (1980) and So the Wind Won't Blow It All Away (1982). He remained popular in Japan, however, and Brautigan visited there for extended periods.

At the time of his death, in 1984, in Bolinas, California, Brautigan was largely ignored, or worse, negated by critics and pundits who trivialized his contribution to American literature.
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Overall, Brautigan is remembered for his detached, anonymous first person point of view, autobiographical prose style, and episodic narrative structure full of unconventional but vivid images powered by imagination and metaphor. For example, Trout Fishing in America can be said to represent the novel itself being written by Brautigan, a character in the novel, a place, an outdoor sport, a religion, a state of mind, and a symbol of the American pastoral ideal lost to commercialism, environmental degradation, and social decay.

His final novel, An Unfortunate Woman (2000), was published post-humously, and with little notice from the reading public. Despite lack of sustained critical acclaim, however, Brautigan's work is currently translated into more than twenty languages, and he maintains strong interest among readers around the world attracted to his unique use of language and autobiographical style.
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The surname Brautigan orginates from the German Bräutigam, itself derived from the Middle High German bruitegome, or "bridegroom."

Information and resources for Brautigan's immediate family is provided below. REBECCA STONE (Ashlock) (Vandergriff)
Born: 14 January 1792
Died: 25 March 1837, Greene County, Illinois

WILLIAM ASHLOCK
Born: ***?***
Died: About 1816 / 1821, Anderson County, Tennessee

Married(1): 1810(?), Greene County, Illinois

Children:

1. Meredith A. Ashlock
   Born: 19 October 1811, Anderson County, Tennessee
   Died: 12 December 1896, Collin County, Texas
   Daughter, Madora Lenora Ashlock, married William Lee Ashlock, son of Jesse Ashlock. See below.
2. Sally Ashlock
3. Richard Ashlock
   Born: 1816, Anderson County, Tennessee
4. Jesse Ashlock
   Born: ***
   Died: ***
   Married: 27 July 1838, Greene, Illinois
   Nancy Boyles
   Born: 20 July 1829, Kentucky
   Children:
   1. Mary Ashlock
      Born: 7 April 1841, Greene, Illinois
   2. Jasse Ashlock
      Born: 20 January 1849, Greene, Illinois
   3. William Lee Ashlock
      Born: 28 May 1850, Greene, Illinois
      Died: 1935
      Married Madora Lenora Ashlock, daughter of Meredith A. Ashlock. See below.
   4. Joseph Benton Ashlock
      Born: 20 August 1853, Greene, Illinois
      Died: 26 February 1853

Rebecca Stone married(2): ***?***
John Vandergriff, Greene County, Illinois
Born: ***?***
Died: ***?***

Children: ***?*** ELIZABETH ANN MARTIN (Weaver) (Ashlock)
Born: 20 November 1825, Kentuchy(?)
Died: 1894, Collin County, Texas

MEREDITH A. ASHLOCK
Born: 19 October 1811, Anderson County, Tennessee
Died: 12 December 1896, Collin County, Texas

Marriage: 7 November 1853, Collin County, Texas

Children (Weaver had several children by her first marriage):

1. Isabella Florentine Ashlock
   Born: 7 November 1854, Texas, died young
2. Madora Lenora Ashlock
   Born: 20 April 1856, McKinney, Collin County, Texas
   Brautigan's maternal great-grandmother. See below.
3. John Garland Ashlock
   Born: 29 May 1858, Collin County, Texas
4. Margaret Bush Ashlock
   Born: 28 May 1860, Collin County, Texas
   Died: 6 July 1936, McKinney, Texas
5. Bettie Ann Martin Ashlock
   Born: 22 March 1863, Collin County, Texas
   Married: January 1883, William Cornelius Hoagland, Greene County, Illinois
   Died: 19 April 1928, Greene County, Illinois
   1880 U. S. Census notes her living in Kane County, Greene, Illinois with her step-brother, William Lee Ashlock (see below). Her age was noted as 17 years.

RICHARD KINGSTON
Born: ***?***, Ireland(?)
Died: ***?***

ANN MAHONEY
Born: ***?***, Ireland(?)
Died: ***?***

Children:
George Kingston
Born: 16 February 1839, County Cork, Ireland
Died: 11 December 1912, Winlock, Lewis County, Washington MADORA LENORA ASHLOCK (Ashlock)
Born: 20 April 1856, Collin County, Texas
Died: 16 July 1931, Tacoma, Washington

WILLIAM LEE ASHLOCK
Born: 1850, Greene County, Illinois
Died: Prior to 1910(?)

Married: 9 January 1873, Collin County, Texas

Children:

1. William Lee Ashlock
   Died at birth
2. Docia Ashlock (Brown)
   Born: 20 November 1873, Texas
   Died: ***?***
   Married: 15 August 1894
   William L. Brown; lived in Alton, Illinois
3. Florence Ashlock
4. Mirtin (Myrtle) ("Mertie") Ashlock (Oglesbee)
   Born: January 1880, Illinois
   Died: ***?***
   Note: 1920 U. S. Census reports her living Spokane, Washington; Listed in 1921 Spokane City Directory; Mother's obituary reports her in Spokane, 1931; Sister's obituary reports her in Spokane in 1950
5. Jesse Ashlock
6. Edith Ashlock (Courtwright) (of Illinois)
7. Mabel Ashlock (Fuller)
   Born: ***, Illinois
   Died: ***?***
   Married: Louis E. Fuller (St. Louis, Missouri)
8. Elizabeth "Bessie" Cordelia Ashlock (Keho) (Dixon)
   Born: 30 September 1881, St. Louis, Missouri
   Died: 19 April 1950, St. Helens, Oregon
   Brautigan's maternal grandmother. See more below.
9. William Lee Ashlock, Jr.
   Born: 1884
   Died: 19 January 1966

GEORGE HENRY KINGSTON
Born: 16 February 1839, Ireland
Died: 11 December 1912, Winlock, Lewis County, Washington

HANORA HAYES
Born: May 1855, Ireland
Died: 19 October, Chehalis, Lewis County, Washington

Married: 1875? (Based on 1900 U. S. Census noting them married for 25 years)

Children:

• Annie Kingston
  Born: 1870?, California?
  Died: Prior to 1880?
• William Kingston
• Daniel Kingston
• Rebecca Lilian Kingston (Brautigan) (Morisette)
  Born: March 1887, California
  Died: 16 June 1957, Tacoma, Washington

ELIZABETH "BESSIE" CORDELIA ASHLOCK (Kehoe) (Dixon)
Born: 30 September 1881, St. Louis (Woodville?), Missouri
Died: 19 April 1950, Portland, Oregon, Good Samaritan Hospital, age 68

MICHAEL JOSEPH KEHOE
Born: 1 May 1847, Montreal, Canada
Died: 11 July 1911

Married(1): 9 April 1908, St. Charles county, Missouri

Children:

1. Eveline Elaine Kehoe (Fjetland)
   Born: 29 January 1910, St. Louis, Missouri
   Died: 31 January 1998, Tacoma, Washington
   
   
2. Lulu Mary Kehoe
   Born: 7 April 1911, St. Louis, Missouri
   Died: 24 September 2005, Eugene, Oregon
   Brautigan's mother. See more below.

BERNARD FREDERICK "FRITZ" BRAUTIGAN
Born: 12 January 1878, Germany
Died: 1 July 1910, Tacoma, Washington

REBECCA LILIAN KINGSTON
Born: March 1887, Oakland, California
Died: 16 June 1957, Tacoma, Washington

Married: 14 June 1906, Lewis County, Washington
Married by Reverend P. A. Flavin, a Catholic priest. Witnesses were William Darragh and Leabel Darragh.

Children:

1. Agnes M. Brautigan
   Born: 1903(?)
2. Bernard Frederick Brautigan, Jr.
   Born: 29 July 1908, Winlock, Washington
3. Edward "Eugene" F. Brautigan
   Born: 26 July 1910

LULU MARY KEHOE (Brautigan) (Titland) (Porterfield) (Folston)
Born: 7 April 1911, St. Louis, Missouri
Died: 24 September 2005, Eugene, Oregon

BERNARD FREDERICK BRAUTIGAN, JR.
Born: 29 July 1908, Winlock, Washington
Died: 27 May 1994, Tacoma, Washington

Married(1): 18 July 1927, Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington

Marrige performed by Frank A. McGuire, Justice of the Peace, Tacoma, Washington. Witnesses to the marriage were Mrs. William Morisette (Rebecca, Bernard's mother, see above) and Eleanor Morisette (Bernard's step-sister, see above).

Separated(1): April 1934
In papers filed 18 October 1938 with the Pierce County Court, Bernard, plaintiff, alleges that Lulu Brautigan, defendent, abandoned him in Tacoma, Washington in April 1934, "and has ever since said date of abandonment lived separate and apart from the plaintiff and still lives so."

Bernard also alleged that "No children have been born as issue of such union," his marriage with Mary Lou.

While most accounts agree that Mary Lou and Bernard separated prior to Richard Brautigan's birth, there is less agreement regarding who knew she was pregnant and when. LEARN more >>>

Summons and Complaint: 21 October 1938
Mary Lou failed to respond to the court summons

Divorce Papers Filed: 25 November 1938
Bernard was granted divorce by order of default; Mary Lou's failure to respond

Divorced(1): 17 January 1940, Pierce County, Tacoma, Washington

Children:

1. Richard Gary Brautigan
   Born: 30 January 1935, Tacoma, Washington
   Died: 14 October 1984, Bolinas, California

Richard Brautigan's birth certificate clearly notes Bernard F. Brautigan, Jr. as his father. But, the divorce papers filed for Lulu Mary Kehoe and Bernard Frederick Brautigan, Jr. notes "No children have been born as issue of such union."
Born: 30 January 1935, Tacoma, Washington
Died: 14 September(?) 1984, Bolinas, California
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Married(1): 8 June 1957, Reno, Nevada
Virginia Dionne Alder (Brautigan) (Aste)
Born: ***?*** 1935, Idaho

Separated(1): 24 December 1962, San Francisco, California

Divorced(1): 27 July 1970, San Francisco, California
Original petition filed: 13 January 1970

Children:

1. Ianthe Elizabeth Brautigan
   Born: 25 March 1960, San Francisco, California
   Married: 5 September 1981, Santa Rosa, California
   Paul Swenson

Married(2): 1 December 1977, Richmond, California
Akiko Nishizawa Yoshimura
Born: 1944, Sapporo, Japan

Separated(2): 4(?) December 1979, San Francisco, California

Divorced(2): 7 November 1980, San Francsico, California
Original petition filed: 10 January 1980
Interlocutory decree entered San Francisco County Superior Court, 30 October 1980

No children

Akiko remarried and lives in San Francisco as Akiko Sakagami


According to his Birth Certificate, Richard Gary Brautigan was born Wednesday, 30 January 1935, 12:30 AM, Pacific Time, in Tacoma, Washington

This astrology chart, dated 4 March 1968 in Brautigan's handwriting, was prepared by a fan and sent to Brautigan.