Life
Cook worked as a Government official in British North Borneo from 1911 until 1919. In December 1914 he was Assistant District Officer at Semporna, and it was at this time that he compiled a vocabulary of Bajau words. He later held District Officer posts.
On returning to Britain, he wrote an autobiographical account of his time in Borneo. It was suggested that he should approach the Curtis Brown literary agency and the book was allocated to Christine Campbell Thomson, an agent there. It was she who gave the book its title, Borneo: Stealer Of Hearts and placed with Hurst & Blackett who published it in 1924. At the time it was considered one of the most authoritative books on Borneo. At the same time, Cook was writing short stories concerned with supernatural themes, several of which were directly influenced by his time in Borneo. By 1934 an autobiographical note accompanying one of his short stories stated that since his return to England he had been an author, editor, publisher, actor, secretary to a dramatic school, and in business.
Cook married Christine Campbell Thomson and they were divorced in 1938. Cook died in 1952.
Read more about this topic: Oscar Cook
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