Difference between revisions of "John Dos Passos"
Tags: Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
|||
| (14 intermediate revisions by 5 users not shown) | |||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | '''John Roderigo Dos Passos''' (b. January 14, 1896; - d. September 28, 1970 | + | '''John Roderigo Dos Passos''' (b. January 14, 1896; - d. September 28, 1970<ref>https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/169718/John-Dos-Passos</ref>) was a highly influential [[American]] [[novel]]ist best known for his trilogy of socio-historical novels, ''U.S.A.'', comprising ''The 42nd Parallel'' (1930), ''1919'' (1932), and ''The Big Money'' (1936). He also wrote ''Three Soldiers'' (1921), ''Manhattan Transfer'' (1925), and (in his [[conservative]] stage). ''District of Columbia'' (1952), a trilogy, and ''Midcentury'' (1961), as well as many histories, travel accounts and magazine articles. |
| − | == | + | ==Career== |
| − | The | + | The son of a wealthy American businessman of Portuguese heritage, Dos Passos attended Harvard College and was an ambulance driver during World War I. He traveled widely, especially in Mexico. |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| + | ==USA== | ||
| + | The USA trilogy was written from a leftist perspective and provides a kaleidoscopic portrait of America during the first three decades of the 20th century by capturing the voices of people from many walks of life. He used innovative techniques, such as "Camera Eyes" and "Newsreels" in addition to narratives and mini-biographies of real people, like [[Henry Ford]]. | ||
| + | ==Conservative== | ||
| + | By 1935 Dos Passos was disillusioned with Socialism and radicalism. He could not abide by the [[New Deal]] because it bureaucratized American life and accumulated too much power. He had become a conservative, and his novels—always political—took the perspective from traditional conservatism, with a hostility toward labor unions and Communism. A close friend of [[Ernest Hemingway]], they became enemies when Hemingway refused to see the evils of the Communists in the [[Spanish Civil War]]. He read closely in the [[Founding Fathers]] for inspiration, and wrote extensively for the ''National Review.'' | ||
==Further reading== | ==Further reading== | ||
* Carr, Virginia Spencer. ''John Dos Passos: A Life'' (1984), 624pp, excessively detailed | * Carr, Virginia Spencer. ''John Dos Passos: A Life'' (1984), 624pp, excessively detailed | ||
| + | * Clark, Michael. ''Dos Passos's Early Fiction, 1912-1938'' (1987) [http://www.questia.com/read/111714316?title=Dos%20Passos%27s%20Early%20Fiction%2c%201912-1938 online edition] | ||
* Kazin, Alfred. "John Dos Passos and His Invention of America," ''Wilson Quarterly'' 1985 9(1): 154-166 | * Kazin, Alfred. "John Dos Passos and His Invention of America," ''Wilson Quarterly'' 1985 9(1): 154-166 | ||
* Levin, Harry. "Revisiting Dos Passos' 'U.S.S'," ''Massachusetts Review'' 1979 20(3): 401-415 | * Levin, Harry. "Revisiting Dos Passos' 'U.S.S'," ''Massachusetts Review'' 1979 20(3): 401-415 | ||
| − | * Ludington, Townsend. ''John Dos Passos: A Twentieth-Century Odyssey'' (1998), good biography [ | + | * Ludington, Townsend. ''John Dos Passos: A Twentieth-Century Odyssey'' (1998), good biography [https://www.amazon.com/John-Dos-Passos-Twentieth-Century-Odyssey/dp/0786705272/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254769862&sr=1-6 excerpt and text search] |
| + | * Maine, Barry. ''John Dos Passos: The Critical Heritage'' (1997) [http://www.questia.com/read/107699334?title=John%20Dos%20Passos%3a%20%20The%20Critical%20Heritage online edition] | ||
* Pizer, Donald. ''Dos Passos' 'U.S.A.:' A Critical Study'' (1988) | * Pizer, Donald. ''Dos Passos' 'U.S.A.:' A Critical Study'' (1988) | ||
| + | * Wagner, Linda W. ''Dos Passos: Artist as American'' (1979) | ||
| + | * [http://www.questia.com/library/literature/literature-of-specific-countries/american-literature/20th-and-21st-centuries/john-dos-passos.jsp online books and articles from Questia] | ||
===Primary sources=== | ===Primary sources=== | ||
* Dos Passos, John. ''John Dos Passos: Travel Books and Other Writings 1916-1941'' (Library of America, 2003) | * Dos Passos, John. ''John Dos Passos: Travel Books and Other Writings 1916-1941'' (Library of America, 2003) | ||
| − | + | * Dos Passos, John. ''One Man's Initiation'' (1917) [http://www.questia.com/library/book/one-mans-initiation-1917-by-john-dos-passos.jsp online edition] | |
| − | + | * Dos Passos, John. ''Three Soldiers'' (1921) [http://www.questia.com/read/101953292?title=Three%20Soldiers online edition] | |
| + | * Dos Passos, John. ''U.S.A.'' (3 vol. 1925-37) [http://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=64955580 online edition] | ||
| + | * Dos Passos, John. ''Number One, a Novel'' (1943) [http://www.questia.com/read/9711206?title=Number%20One%2c%20a%20Novel online edition] | ||
| + | * Dos Passos, John. ''The Theme Is Freedom'' (1956) [http://www.questia.com/read/18797645?title=The%20Theme%20Is%20Freedom online edition] | ||
| + | * Dos Passos, John. ''The Men Who Made the Nation: The architects of the young republic 1782-1802'' (1995), nonfiction | ||
| + | * Dos Passos, John. ''The Head and Heart of Thomas Jefferson'' (1964), nonfiction | ||
| + | * Dos Passos, John. ''Mr. Wilson's War: The Story of American Participation in World War I'' (1962), nonfiction | ||
| + | * ''The Fourteenth Chronicle: Letters and Diaries of John Dos Passos'', ed. by Townsend Ludington (1973) | ||
===References=== | ===References=== | ||
<references/> | <references/> | ||
| Line 24: | Line 37: | ||
[[Category:1920s]] | [[Category:1920s]] | ||
[[Category:Conservatives]] | [[Category:Conservatives]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Former Leftists]] | ||
Latest revision as of 22:41, January 16, 2022
John Roderigo Dos Passos (b. January 14, 1896; - d. September 28, 1970[1]) was a highly influential American novelist best known for his trilogy of socio-historical novels, U.S.A., comprising The 42nd Parallel (1930), 1919 (1932), and The Big Money (1936). He also wrote Three Soldiers (1921), Manhattan Transfer (1925), and (in his conservative stage). District of Columbia (1952), a trilogy, and Midcentury (1961), as well as many histories, travel accounts and magazine articles.
Career
The son of a wealthy American businessman of Portuguese heritage, Dos Passos attended Harvard College and was an ambulance driver during World War I. He traveled widely, especially in Mexico.
USA
The USA trilogy was written from a leftist perspective and provides a kaleidoscopic portrait of America during the first three decades of the 20th century by capturing the voices of people from many walks of life. He used innovative techniques, such as "Camera Eyes" and "Newsreels" in addition to narratives and mini-biographies of real people, like Henry Ford.
Conservative
By 1935 Dos Passos was disillusioned with Socialism and radicalism. He could not abide by the New Deal because it bureaucratized American life and accumulated too much power. He had become a conservative, and his novels—always political—took the perspective from traditional conservatism, with a hostility toward labor unions and Communism. A close friend of Ernest Hemingway, they became enemies when Hemingway refused to see the evils of the Communists in the Spanish Civil War. He read closely in the Founding Fathers for inspiration, and wrote extensively for the National Review.
Further reading
- Carr, Virginia Spencer. John Dos Passos: A Life (1984), 624pp, excessively detailed
- Clark, Michael. Dos Passos's Early Fiction, 1912-1938 (1987) online edition
- Kazin, Alfred. "John Dos Passos and His Invention of America," Wilson Quarterly 1985 9(1): 154-166
- Levin, Harry. "Revisiting Dos Passos' 'U.S.S'," Massachusetts Review 1979 20(3): 401-415
- Ludington, Townsend. John Dos Passos: A Twentieth-Century Odyssey (1998), good biography excerpt and text search
- Maine, Barry. John Dos Passos: The Critical Heritage (1997) online edition
- Pizer, Donald. Dos Passos' 'U.S.A.:' A Critical Study (1988)
- Wagner, Linda W. Dos Passos: Artist as American (1979)
- online books and articles from Questia
Primary sources
- Dos Passos, John. John Dos Passos: Travel Books and Other Writings 1916-1941 (Library of America, 2003)
- Dos Passos, John. One Man's Initiation (1917) online edition
- Dos Passos, John. Three Soldiers (1921) online edition
- Dos Passos, John. U.S.A. (3 vol. 1925-37) online edition
- Dos Passos, John. Number One, a Novel (1943) online edition
- Dos Passos, John. The Theme Is Freedom (1956) online edition
- Dos Passos, John. The Men Who Made the Nation: The architects of the young republic 1782-1802 (1995), nonfiction
- Dos Passos, John. The Head and Heart of Thomas Jefferson (1964), nonfiction
- Dos Passos, John. Mr. Wilson's War: The Story of American Participation in World War I (1962), nonfiction
- The Fourteenth Chronicle: Letters and Diaries of John Dos Passos, ed. by Townsend Ludington (1973)