Frank Herbert

For the politician, see Frank Herbert (politician).

Frank Herbert
Herbert in 1984
Herbert in 1984
BornFranklin Patrick Herbert Jr.
(1920-10-08)October 8, 1920
Tacoma, Washington, U.S.
DiedFebruary 11, 1986(1986-02-11) (aged 65)
Madison, Wisconsin, U.S.
OccupationNovelist
EducationUniversity of Washington (no degree)
Period1945–1986
GenreScience fiction
Literary movementNew Wave
Notable worksDune
Notable awards
Hugo Award for Best Novel
Nebula Award for Best Novel
Spouse
  • Flora Lillian Parkinson
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1941; div. 1943)​
    [1]
  • Beverly Ann Stuart
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1946; died 1984)​
    [2]
  • Theresa Diane Shackelford
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1985)​
Children3, including Brian Herbert
Signature
Literature portal

Franklin Patrick Herbert Jr. (October 8, 1920 – February 11, 1986) was an American science-fiction author, best known for his 1965 novel Dune and its five sequels. He also wrote short stories and worked as a newspaper journalist, photographer, book reviewer, ecological consultant, and lecturer.

Dune is the best-selling science fiction novel of all time,[3] and the series is a classic of the science-fiction genre.[4] The Dune saga, set in the distant future and taking place over millennia, explores complex themes, such as the long-term survival of the human species, human evolution, planetary science and ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics, economics, sex, and power in a future where humanity has long since developed interstellar travel and colonized many thousands of worlds.

The series has been adapted numerous times, including the feature film Dune (1984), the miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune and Children of Dune, and a motion picture trilogy currently in production, with Dune (2021) and Dune: Part Two (2024) having been released.[5][6]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference flpdivorce was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference bahdeath was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "SCI FI Channel Auction to Benefit Reading Is Fundamental". PNNonline.org (Internet Archive). March 18, 2003. Archived from the original on September 28, 2007. Retrieved September 28, 2007. Since its debut in 1965, Frank Herbert's Dune has sold over 12 million copies worldwide, making it the best-selling science fiction novel of all time [...] Frank Herbert's Dune saga is one of the greatest 20th Century contributions to literature.
  4. ^ Kunzru, Hari (July 3, 2015). "Dune, 50 years on: how a science fiction novel changed the world". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  5. ^ "Denis Villeneuve's 'Dune' Will Probably Finish Its Story — But There's a Catch". Inverse. February 20, 2024.
  6. ^ "Denis Villeneuve Still Has a "Dream" of a 'Dune' Trilogy". Vanity Fair. August 28, 2023.