James Hilton facts for kids

James Hilton (born September 9, 1900 – died December 20, 1954) was a famous English writer. He wrote many popular books, including Lost Horizon and Goodbye Mr. Chips. His book Lost Horizon made the imaginary place called Shangri-La well-known. Shangri-La is a perfect, hidden valley.

About James Hilton

James Hilton was born in Leigh, England. His father, John Hilton, was a headmaster (school principal). James Hilton used his father as a model for the character Mr. Chipping in his book Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

Hilton wrote his two most famous books while living in a house in Woodford Green. A small blue sign on the house shows that it was his home. He was married twice. James Hilton passed away in Long Beach, California, from liver cancer.

Hilton's Amazing Novels

James Hilton became a successful writer when he was quite young. He published his first novel, Catherine Herself, when he was 20 years old. Many of his books became international bestsellers. This means they sold a huge number of copies worldwide.

Some of his novels were even made into successful movies. Three of the most famous films are: Lost Horizon (1933), Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1934), and Random Harvest (1941).

Lost Horizon was one of the first books sold as a Pocket Books paperback in the 1930s. It was given the serial number "1". Some people say this book helped start the popularity of paperback books.

The Story of Shangri-La

Lost Horizon is set in Tibet, a region in Asia. The story takes place mostly in a secret, imaginary valley called Shangri-La. Today, Shangri-La means any perfect, wonderful place or utopia.

It is not fully known how Hilton got his ideas for Tibet and Shangri-La. He might have been inspired by reading the National Geographic Magazine. This magazine featured articles by Joseph Rock. Rock was an Austrian-American botanist and ethnologist. He explored areas near Tibet in southwestern China.

Hilton may also have read articles by early travelers in Tibet. He found these articles in the British Library. Some people think that Christian Zeeman was the model for the hero of the story. Zeeman disappeared while living in Japan. There were rumors he was living secretly in a Zen Buddhist monastery.

Some believe the isolated town of Weaverville, California, was Shangri-La. This is a misunderstanding. Hilton once said that Weaverville reminded him of Shangri-La.

Shangri-La in Real Life

After the Doolittle Raid on Tokyo during World War II, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt made a joke. He told the press that the airplanes had taken off from Shangri-La. This was a way to hide that they had taken off from aircraft carriers.

Later, the US Navy named an aircraft carrier "Shangri-La." President Roosevelt also named his Maryland presidential retreat "Shangri-La." This retreat is now called Camp David. President Dwight D. Eisenhower renamed it after his grandson.

Today, a mountain region in Southwest China called Zhongdian has been renamed Shangri-La (Xianggelila). This was done because it might have inspired Hilton's famous book.

Hilton's Work in Hollywood

James Hilton moved to Hollywood in the mid-1930s. He worked there on movie screenplays. In 1942, he won an Academy Award for his work on the screenplay of Mrs. Miniver. This film was based on a novel by Jan Struther.

Hilton also hosted a radio show called The Hallmark Playhouse. It aired from 1948 to 1953 on CBS Radio. One of his later novels, Morning Journey, was about the movie business.

James Hilton's Books

• Catherine Herself, 1920
• Storm Passage, 1922
• The Passionate Year, 1924
• Dawn Of Reckoning (Rage In Heaven), 1925
• Meadows Of The Moon, 1926
• Terry, 1927
• The Silver Flame (Three Loves Had Margaret), 1928
• And Now Goodbye, 1931
• Contango (Ill Wind), 1932
• Knight Without Armour (Without Armor), 1933
• Lost Horizon, 1933
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips, 1934
• We Are Not Alone, 1937
• To You, Mr Chips, 1938
• Random Harvest, 1941
• The Story Of Dr. Wassell, 1944
• So Well Remembered, 1945
• Nothing So Strange, 1947
• Twilight Of The Wise, 1949
• Morning Journey, 1951
• Time And Time Again, 1953

Movies Based on Hilton's Novels

Many of Hilton's novels were turned into films:

• Lost Horizon (1937, 1973)
• Knight Without Armour (1937)
• We Are Not Alone (1939) – Hilton helped write the screenplay for this one.
• Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939, 1969, 1984, 2002)
• Random Harvest (1942)
• So Well Remembered (1947) starring John Mills and narrated by Hilton

Hilton also helped write a musical called Shangri-La. It was based on Lost Horizon and was performed on Broadway in 1956.