Harry Hansen (author) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harry Hansen
Born	(1884-12-26)December 26, 1884 Davenport, Iowa
Died	January 3, 1977(1977-01-03) (aged 92)
Occupation	Journalist, historian, literary critic
Genre	literature, journalism, history

Harry Hansen (born December 26, 1884 – died January 3, 1977) was an American journalist, editor, and historian. He was known for writing many books, especially for young readers. He wrote for the Random House Landmark Series, which were history books for children in the 1950s and 1960s. Hansen also worked as the editor for the famous World Book from 1950 to 1965.

Harry Hansen's Life and Work

Early Life and Journalism

Harry Hansen was born in Davenport, Iowa. He went to high school in his hometown. After finishing school, he started working for the Davenport Republican newspaper. There, he was a telegraph editor and a writer.

Later, Hansen went to the University of Chicago. He studied English and earned his Ph.D. in 1909. After college, he joined the Chicago Daily News as a reporter.

When World War I began, Hansen became a war correspondent in Europe. This meant he reported on the war from overseas. When the United States joined the war, he was promoted to foreign editor. By 1920, he became the Literary Editor for the Daily News. He stayed in that role until 1926.

Working as a Book Editor

In 1926, Hansen left the Daily News to join the New York World newspaper. At the World, he focused mostly on books and literature. He made the book review column a daily feature. Even when the World was sold in 1931, Hansen was one of the few employees who stayed.

Hansen also wrote book reviews for other newspapers and magazines. These included the Chicago Tribune, Harper's Magazine, and Redbook. His book commentary columns were published in magazines all over the country. He also hosted radio programs in Chicago and New York. From 1933 to 1940, he edited the O. Henry Prize Stories, which collected the best short stories.

Writing Books for Young Readers

Harry Hansen wrote several non-fiction books. One of his books, "The Adventures of the Fourteen Points," was about the Versailles Peace Conference. This conference ended World War I in 1919. He also wrote one novel called Your Life Lies Before You in 1935.

During and after World War II, Hansen continued writing history books. In 1942, he wrote a book about the Chicago River for the Rivers of America Series. He also wrote a book for the famous Random House Landmark Series for young people. This book was called Old Ironsides, the Fighting Constitution, published in 1955.

From 1950 to 1965, Hansen was the editor of the World Book. This is a well-known encyclopedia. In the 1960s and 1970s, he helped update several volumes of the American Guide Series. These were guidebooks about different U.S. states, including Louisiana, California, and Illinois. He also published yearly collections of the winning stories from the O. Henry Memorial Awards. In 1960, he put together a large collection of all the first-prize stories from 1919 to 1960.

Family and Legacy

Harry Hansen married Ruth McLernon in 1914. They had two daughters, Ruth Eleanor (born 1915) and Marian (born 1916). Harry Hansen passed away on January 3, 1977, at the age of 92, after having a heart attack. His writings and letters are kept at the Newberry Library in Chicago, Illinois.

Harry Hansen's Books

Novels

• Your Life Lies Before You (1935)

State Guides (as editor)

• Arizona: The Grand Canyon State (American Guide Series) (1968)
• Texas: A Guide to the Lone Star State (American Guide Series) (1969)
• Colorado: A Guide to the Highest State (American Guide Series) (1970)
• Louisiana a Guide to the State (American Guide Series) (1971)
• California: A Guide to the Golden State (American Guide Series) (1973)
• Illinois: A Descriptive and Historical Guide (American Guide Series) (1974)

World Book Editions (as editor)

Harry Hansen edited the World Book for many years. Here are some of the editions he worked on:

• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1950 (1950)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1951 (1951)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1952 (1952)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1953 (1953)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1954 (1954)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1955 (1955)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1956 (1956)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1957 (1957)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1958 (1958)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1959 (1959)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1960 (1960)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1961 (1961)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1962 (1962)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1963 (1963)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1964 (1964)
• The World Almanac and Book of Facts 1965 (1965)