Norman in Virginia City

By the late 1950's, Norman was a writer at the top of his game. He was delivering four novels per year to Dodd Mead and Company. Dell publishing was paying him for paperback rights in advance of the books hardbacks being published. His works had were being published in numerous foreign languages.

Norman's sense of humor from his younger days persisted throughout his life. He collected 8mm movies of silent era comedies. He loved the zany music of Spike Jones and the subversive music of Tom Lehrer.

He enjoyed the anarchic humor of novels such as Rhubarb by H. Allen Smith about a cat that owns a baseball team. Norman was known to love a good practical joke. This is true whether he was playing the joke or if it was being played upon him.

In 1958 Norman developed diabetes. Unfortunately, this only a symptom as he soon learned it was caused by pancreatic cancer. Norman was operated on without success. The cancer returned and continued to grow. By late 1959 he was told he only had months to live.

Norman continued writing as long as he was able. His last novel, "The Trembling Hills" took the Yellowstone earthquake that occurred in Montana in 1959 and moved it 50 year in the past. Shortly after he completed the book, Norman passed away. He was 48 years old.

Following his death Rosalea continued to oversee the publishing of Norman's works. She continued teaching English and collecting cats. She spent time doting on various nephews and nieces. Rosalea finally was reunited with Norman in 1986.

Norman's books have continued to be published over the years. Most recently many of the books were published in large print. Norman's books can be found at used book web sites an on eBay. The movies made from Norman's books are often shown on classic movie channels such as Turner Classic Movies and Encore Western. Some are also available on DVD. Hopefully those and this site will help keep Norman's legacy going to years to come.