Erskine Caldwell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Erskine Caldwell
Caldwell in 1975
Born	Erskine Preston Caldwell December 17, 1903 Moreland, Georgia, U.S.
Died	April 11, 1987(1987-04-11) (aged 83) Paradise Valley, Arizona, U.S.
Resting place	Scenic Hills Memorial Park, Ashland, Oregon
Occupation	Novelist, short story writer
Notable works	Tobacco Road God's Little Acre
Spouses	Helen Lannegan, (1925-?) three children Margaret Bourke-White, (1939-?) June Johnson, (1942-?), a son, Jay. Virginia Moffett Fletcher Caldwell Hibbs, (1957-1987)

Erskine Preston Caldwell (born December 17, 1903 – died April 11, 1987) was an American writer. He wrote many novels and short stories. His books often showed the struggles of people living in poverty in the Southern United States. He also wrote about social problems like racism.

Two of his most famous novels are Tobacco Road (1932) and God's Little Acre (1933). These books sold millions of copies. Tobacco Road was even turned into a play in 1933. This play became very popular on Broadway, running for a long time.

Early Life and Education

Erskine Caldwell was born on December 17, 1903. He was born in a small town called White Oak in Coweta County, Georgia. His father, Ira Sylvester Caldwell, was a minister. His mother, Caroline Preston Caldwell, was a schoolteacher.

Because his father was a minister, the family moved often. They lived in different states like Florida, Virginia, and North Carolina. When Erskine was 15, his family settled in Wrens, Georgia. His mother taught him at home for many years. He first went to a regular school when he was 14.

Caldwell later attended Erskine College in South Carolina. However, he did not finish his degree there.

Writing Career

After leaving college, Caldwell tried different jobs. He worked on a boat and even played football. He also sold real estate for a while. He went back to college a couple more times but did not stay long.

In 1925, Caldwell worked for the Atlanta Journal newspaper for a year. Then he moved to Maine, where he lived for five years. During this time, he started writing about the lives of poor people in Georgia.

His most famous books, Tobacco Road (1932) and God's Little Acre (1933), came out during this period. These novels helped him become a well-known writer.

Caldwell also worked as a reporter. In 1941, he reported from the Soviet Union for Life magazine and CBS radio. He also wrote movie scripts for about five years. Later, he wrote articles from Mexico and Czechoslovakia for a newspaper group.

Personal Life and Travels

In the 1930s, Caldwell and his first wife, Helen, ran a bookstore in Maine. After they divorced, he married photographer Margaret Bourke-White. They worked together on three books that combined photos and stories. These books showed what life was like for many Americans.

During World War II, Caldwell traveled to Ukraine. He worked there as a foreign reporter, writing about the war. After the war, he lived in Connecticut and then Arizona.

For the last 20 years of his life, Caldwell loved to travel. He spent six months each year exploring the world. He would write down his ideas in notebooks during his travels. Many of these notebooks are now kept in a museum dedicated to him in Moreland, Georgia. This museum is in the house where he was born.

Caldwell passed away on April 11, 1987, in Paradise Valley, Arizona. He was a heavy smoker and died from lung problems. He is buried in Ashland, Oregon.

Political Views

Erskine Caldwell cared deeply about working-class people. He used his own experiences with farmers and everyday workers to write his stories. His books showed their lives and the challenges they faced. He often gave talks about the difficult conditions of sharecroppers in the Southern United States. Sharecroppers were farmers who worked on land owned by others and paid with a share of their crops.

Major Works

Erskine Caldwell wrote many books. He wrote 25 novels, 150 short stories, and several non-fiction books. He also wrote two books for young readers. He even helped edit a series of 28 books about different regions of the United States.

Recognition

In December 1984, Erskine Caldwell became a member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This is a special group that honors important artists and writers in the United States.

See also

In Spanish: Erskine Caldwell para niños