David X Manners was an American writer. He wrote many Western short stories. His brother William was also a mystery writer. David also wrote How To Design and Build a Home Workshop. He later founded and became Chairman of the David X Manners Company. His short short story "Eye Witness" can be read here: http://www.reveries.com/reverb/random_reveries/pulp_fiction/.

Mike Grost on David and William Manners

David X Manners published over 65 stories in the pulp magazines, especially in Ten Detective Aces. His clever inverted detective stories "Eye Witness" (1935) and "Killer's Keeper" (1940) were also reprinted by Ellery Queen. The latter story has plot elements that were adapted to film with the Humphrey Bogart movie Conflict (1945), and have surfaced with numerous variations in movies and TV since. Another inverted story by Manners is "Death Debt", which appeared in Ten Detective Aces two months after "Eye Witness". You can tell it is by the same author as "Eye Witness" - the stories share a common approach. Both are "inverted" detective stories, both deal with mob killings in hotel rooms framed to look like aftermaths of robberies. But they have different characterizations, mystery plot twists and imagery. Readers can check out "Death Debt", accompanied by a picture of David X Manners, on line, at an external web site.

Out of the blue I received e-mail from his son, Michael A. Manners, full of information on him, and his brother William Manners, who was also a mystery writer, as well as the founding editor of Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Excerpts from Mr. Manners' very interesting letter of 12-30-1996 follow:

"My brother Tim alerted me today that by doing an Internet search for David X Manners, I would find that my father, David X Manners, and my uncle William Manners were included in a compilation of mystery writers. I thought you might be interested to know a little more about these two authors. They were both quite prolific and had several careers besides mystery writing.

"WILLIAM MANNERS wrote many mysteries, had a notable career as a professional boxer (52 pro bouts, 51 knock-outs), and wrote several non-fiction books that were very successful. Among them, Father and the Angels, an autobiographical account of growing up the son of a Rabbi, Wake Up and Write! - a quick and energized course in how to be a writer - TR and Will, the story of the stormy friendship between William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt - Patience and Fortitude, the story of Fiorella LaGuardia, the outspoken mayor of New York. He also was editor for Alfred Hitchcock magazine for a number of years. His wife, Ande Manners, wrote a self help hardcover of several hundred pages - A Parents' Guide to Music Lessons - and a very important book Poor Cousins that was critically acclaimed and a New York Times Best Seller. It detailed the story of East European Jews and how they were treated by their already "landed" cousins when they reached America. Uncle William was a life long athlete and vegetarian - even during his years as a professional boxer. He and my mother Ruth Ann Manners wrote The Quick and Easy Vegetarian Cookbook together and it has enjoyed 24 years of multiple new printings and re-releases in more than 14 languages.

"DAVID X MANNERS, (there is no period after the "X", it's his full middle name) was born in Zanesville Ohio in 1912. The son of Rabbi Harris Rosenberg and his second wife Bertha. David wrote pulps, worked as an editor for some of the biggest publishing houses buying manuscripts and also was one of the pioneers of the whole "Do it yourself" publishing industry. Many would say he was the one who really created it. Among other odd accomplishments, he is generally credited with introducing the Sauna to America. He has written hundreds of books and magazine articles on subjects from "how to do your own concrete and masonry" to "How to fix your own Television". When Writers Digest put together a 75th anniversary hardcover book containing the best "How to be a writer" articles it had ever published, "The 10 Deadly Sins", written in 1940 by David X Manners, was in there alongside articles by Louis L'Amour, Erle Stanley Gardner, Stephen King, Harlan Ellison and Isaac Asimov. The TEN DEADLY SINS he outlined in 1940 are still great advice, and might be a great addition to your site, as I suspect many visitors are would - be writers.

"David also designed and built his own house from scratch. David also founded The David X Manners Company, a public relations firm that today is run by his youngest son, Timothy, and now specializes in the field of marketing. His wife Ruth Ann has also published several do it yourself books, on subjects including sewing and kitchen design.

"My parents met as students at The Art Students League of New York City. I've found that creative people generally have more than one outlet for expression. I'm never surprised to hear that a well known musician, writer or actor also paints or sculpts.

"David wrote a TON of mysteries and westerns. He and my Uncle Bill also wrote and hosted a "solve the mystery" radio show in New York called Isn't It A Crime with a chap named Ted Cott in the 1940's.

"William passed away in 1994 at the age of 86. David X Manners will turn 85 in February and we still can't keep him from climbing ladders to fix the roof. The man is made of bronze."

Bibliography

Memory of a Scream (1946)

Dead to the World (1947)