Frank Harris facts for kids
Frank Harris (born February 14, 1855 – died August 26, 1931) was an Irish-American editor, novelist, short story writer, journalist, and publisher. He was friends with many well-known people during his lifetime.
Contents
About Frank Harris's Life
His Early Years and Adventures
Frank Harris was born James Thomas Harris in 1855 in Galway, Ireland. His parents were from Wales. When he was 12, he went to a boarding school in Wales called Ruabon Grammar School. He didn't like it there and ran away within a year.
In late 1869, at age 14, Harris ran away to the United States. He arrived in New York City with almost no money. He took many different jobs to support himself. He worked as a boot black, a porter, and a construction worker helping to build the Brooklyn Bridge. He later used these experiences in his book The Bomb.
From New York, Harris moved to the American Midwest, settling in Chicago. He worked as a hotel clerk and later became a manager. Because Chicago was a big center for the meat industry, Harris met many cattlemen. This inspired him to leave the city and become a cowboy.
After a while, Harris got tired of being a cowboy. He enrolled at the University of Kansas to study law. He earned a degree and became a lawyer in Kansas. In 1878, he married Florence Ruth Adams, but she sadly died the next year.
Returning to Europe and a Writing Career
Frank Harris soon realized that being a lawyer wasn't for him. He decided to focus on writing. In 1882, he moved to England. He also traveled to Germany, Austria, France, and Greece to explore literature. He worked briefly as a newspaper reporter for American papers before settling in England to become a full-time journalist.
Harris became well-known as the editor of several London newspapers. These included the Evening News, the Fortnightly Review, and the Saturday Review. Editing the Saturday Review was a highlight of his journalism career. Famous writers like H. G. Wells and George Bernard Shaw wrote for him regularly.
From 1908 to 1914, Harris focused on writing novels. He wrote popular books such as The Bomb, The Man Shakespeare, and The Yellow Ticket and Other Stories. When World War I started in 1914, Harris decided to move back to the United States.
From 1916 to 1922, he edited the American version of Pearson's Magazine. In April 1921, Harris became an American citizen.
Besides editing, Harris wrote many short stories and novels. He also wrote two books about Shakespeare. He created a series of biographical sketches called Contemporary Portraits in five volumes. He also wrote biographies about his friends Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. His attempts at writing plays were not as successful. Only one play, Mr. and Mrs. Daventry (1900), was performed on stage. This play was based on an idea by Oscar Wilde.
His Later Life and Passing
Frank Harris passed away in Nice, France, on August 26, 1931, at the age of 75. He died from a heart attack. He was buried in the Cimetière Sainte-Marguerite in Nice.
Soon after his death, a biography about him was published. It was written by Hugh Kingsmill, whose real name was Hugh Kingsmill Lunn.
Frank Harris's Published Works
- Elder Conklin: And Other Stories (1894)
- Montes the Matador & Other Stories (London, Grant Richards, 1900)
- The Bomb (1908)
- The Man Shakespeare and his Tragic Life Story (London, Frank Palmer, 1909)
- Unpath'd Waters (1915). (A collection of stories.)
- The Yellow Ticket And Other Stories (Grant Richards Ltd., 1914)
- The Spectacle Maker (1913) (This was the basis for a 1934 movie.)
- The Veils of Isis, and Other Stories (1915)
- England or Germany ? (1915)
- Contemporary Portraits... in four vols (1915–1923)
- Oscar Wilde, His Life and Confessions (1916)
- My Life and Loves (1922–1927, 1931, 1954, 1963 (complete))
- Undream'd of Shores (London, Grant Richards, 1924). (More stories.)
- The Tom Cat: An Apologue (1928). (A short story.)
- My Reminiscences as a Cowboy (1930)
- Confessional (1930). (Essays.)
- Pantopia: A Novel (1930)
- Bernard Shaw (1931)
- The Short Stories of Frank Harris, a Selection (1975). Edited by Elmer Gertz.
See also
In Spanish: Frank Harris para niños
