'It's that inner image of yourself'

“Integrity is not a conditional word. It doesn't blow in the wind or change with the weather. It is your inner image of yourself, and if you look in there and see a man who won't cheat, then you know he never will.” – John D. MacDonald

 

Born in Sharon, PA on this date in 1916, crime/suspense novelist and short story writer MacDonald achieved the highest accolade in his genre, being named a Grandmaster by the Mystery Writers of America shortly before his death in 1986.   A self-proclaimed “accidental writer” (he was considering a military career and had achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel during WWII), he also was the winner of a National Book Award with critically acclaimed Travis McGee series. 

 

MacDonald's first novel appeared in 1950, but it was his 1957 title The Executioners that put him on the map.  An almost continuous best-seller since, the book also holds the distinction of being the focus of two feature films, both box office successes.    

His character Travis McGee made his first appearance in 1964 in The Deep Blue Good-bye, starting a run of 21 bestsellers featuring him.   Each title in the series includes a color, the last being The Lonely Silver Rain.    All told, MacDonald wrote dozens of short stories and more than 60 novels with 15 adapted into movies or television series.

 

“Every day,” the always humble MacDonald said, “no matter how you fight it, you learn a little more about yourself.  And all most of it does is teach humility.”