William Keepers Maxwell Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Maxwell
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| Born | August 16, 1908 Lincoln, Illinois, United States |
| Died | July 31, 2000 (aged 91) New York City, New York |
| Occupation | Editor, novelist, short story writer |
| Alma mater | University of Illinois, Harvard University |
| Genre | Domestic realism |
William Keepers Maxwell Jr. (born August 16, 1908 – died July 31, 2000) was an American writer. He wrote novels, short stories, and books for children. He was also a famous editor.
For nearly 40 years, William Maxwell worked as a fiction editor at The New Yorker magazine. He was known for helping many famous writers. Even though he was best known as an editor, Maxwell was also a respected and award-winning author. Many people still admire his books today.
Contents
Early Life
William Maxwell was born in Lincoln, Illinois, on August 16, 1908. His parents were William Keepers Maxwell and Eva Blossom Maxwell.
When he was 10 years old, a big flu outbreak happened in 1918. Young William got sick but got better. Sadly, his mother died from the flu. After his mother passed away, he went to live with his aunt and uncle in Bloomington, Illinois. Later, his father remarried, and William moved to Chicago to live with them.
He went to Senn High School. He then studied at the University of Illinois, finishing in 1930. He also earned a master's degree from Harvard University.
Career as a Writer and Editor
William Maxwell was a fiction editor for The New Yorker magazine for 40 years, from 1936 to 1975. He worked with many well-known authors. These included Vladimir Nabokov, John Updike, J. D. Salinger, and Eudora Welty. Welty once said that for fiction writers, Maxwell was "the headquarters." This meant he was a very important person for them.
Maxwell wrote six highly praised novels. He also wrote many short stories, essays, and children's books. His memoir, Ancestors, came out in 1972. His stories often explored themes like childhood, family, and loss. Much of his writing was about his own life. This included losing his mother when he was young. He also wrote about growing up in the rural Midwestern United States.
After the flu outbreak, young Maxwell had to move from his childhood home. He called it his "Chamber of Wonders." He spoke about his loss, saying his "beautiful, imaginative, protected world of my childhood swept away."
In 1968, Maxwell was chosen to be the president of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He was also a close friend of the English writer Sylvia Townsend Warner. He helped manage her writings after she died.
Since Maxwell's death in 2000, several books have been written about him. These include My Mentor: A Young Man's Friendship with William Maxwell and William Maxwell: A Literary Life.
Personal Life
William Maxwell married Emily Gilman Noyes. Emily Maxwell was a talented painter. She also reviewed children's books for The New Yorker. They were married for 55 years.
William Maxwell died on July 31, 2000, in New York City. He passed away just eight days after his wife. They had two daughters, Katherine and Emily. His gravestone in Oregon has a special message: "The Work is the Message."
Main Works
Novels
- Bright Center of Heaven (1934)
- They Came Like Swallows (1937) – This book is about how the 1918 flu outbreak affected a family. It's seen through the eyes of an 8-year-old boy.
- The Folded Leaf (1945)
- Time Will Darken It (1948)
- The Chateau (1961)
- So Long, See You Tomorrow (1980) – This story is about an older man remembering a childhood friendship from the 1920s.
Short Story Collections
- The French Scarecrow (1956)
- The Old Man and the Railroad Crossing and Other Tales (1966)
- Over by the River, and Other Stories (1977)
- Five Tales (1988)
- Billie Dyer and Other Stories (1992)
- All The Days and Nights: The Collected Stories of William Maxwell (1995)
Non-fiction
- Ancestors: A Family History (memoir) (1972)
- The Outermost Dream (essay collection) (1989)
Children's Books
- The Heavenly Tenants (1946) – In this story, the star signs of the zodiac come to life and visit a family farm.
- Mrs. Donald's Dog Bun and His Home Away from Home (1995)
Awards and Honors
- 1947: Newbery Medal runner-up for The Heavenly Tenants
- 1980: William Dean Howells Medal for So Long, See You Tomorrow
- 1982: National Book Award for So Long, See You Tomorrow
- 1984: Brandeis Creative Arts Award
- 1995: PEN/Malamud Award
- 1995: Mark Twain Award
See also
In Spanish: William Maxwell para niños
