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Karl May

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Author

The Resume

    (February 25, 1842-March 30, 1912)
    Born in Ersntthal, Saxony, Germany
    Known for his Western novels featuring the Apache chief Winnetou and his white blood brother Old Shatterhand

Why he might be annoying:

    His career as a teacher ended when he was fired after being accused of stealing his roommate's pocket watch.
    He was jailed twice for theft and fraud.
    He wrote under nine pseudonyms in addition to his own name.
    He did not visit America until 1908 and then never got father west than Buffalo, New York.
    His novels were such favorites of Adolf Hitler that author Klaus Mann described May as the Fuhrer's 'mentor.'

Why he might not be annoying:

    As a child, he suffered visual impairment and rickets due to a lack of vitamins A and D.
    He performed extensive research for his Westerns.
    A successful series of German movies based on his novels inspired Sergio Leone and others to create the Spaghetti Western.
    Many of his novels express the ideal that all mankind should live together peacefully, so maybe it would have been a good thing if he had been Hitler's mentor.
    Less controversial fans of his Westerns include Herman Hesse, Albert Einstein and Albert Schweitzer.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 4 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 8 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 18 Votes: 55.56% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 13 Votes: 46.15% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 14 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 11 Votes: 72.73% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 17 Votes: 35.29% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 13 Votes: 38.46% Annoying