He was an American automotive writer and editor. Born in Chicago in 1913, he was raised mostly in Auburn, N.Y., by his mother after his father, songwriter William Thomas Purdy (1882–1918) ("On, Wisconsin!") died when Ken was only six. He graduated in 1934 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Soon after, he got his first newspaper job with the Athol, Mass., Daily News. From there he went to Oshkosh, Wisc., to the Chicago Radio Guide, to associate editor of Look; and to the United States Office of War Information as editor of Victory during World War II. He was an editor at Parade, Car and Driver, Argosy, and True magazines between the late 40's and mid 50's. His main interest was cars and the people who drove them. He produced 35 short stories and scores of automotive pieces for Playboy magazine. He won Playboy's annual writers' award three times. His "Kings of the Road," published in 1949, is still considered by many to be a landmark. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on June 7, 1972, in Wilton. — based on Wikipedia and other sources, November 2013
He was an American automotive writer and editor. Born in Chicago in 1913, he was raised mostly in Auburn, N.Y., by his mother after his father, songwriter William Thomas Purdy (1882–1918) ("On, Wisconsin!") died when Ken was only six. He graduated in 1934 from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Soon after, he got his first newspaper job with the Athol, Mass., Daily News. From there he went to Oshkosh, Wisc., to the Chicago Radio Guide, to associate editor of Look; and to the United States Office of War Information as editor of Victory during World War II. He was an editor at Parade, Car and Driver, Argosy, and True magazines between the late 40's and mid 50's. His main interest was cars and the people who drove them. He produced 35 short stories and scores of automotive pieces for Playboy magazine. He won Playboy's annual writers' award three times. His "Kings of the Road," published in 1949, is still considered by many to be a landmark. He died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound on June 7, 1972, in Wilton. — based on Wikipedia and other sources, November 2013
Read More
