Harold Brodkey
Encyclopedia
Harold Brodkey, born Aaron Roy Weintraub (October 25, 1930 born in Staunton, Illinois
– January 26, 1996 Manhattan
) was an American writer, and novelist.
outside St. Louis
. After graduating from Harvard University
in 1952, Brodkey began his writing career by contributing short stories to The New Yorker
and other magazines. His stories have won him two first-place O. Henry Award
s. In 1993 Brodkey announced in The New Yorker that he had contracted AIDS
. He later wrote This Wild Darkness about his battle with the disease. At the time of his death in 1996, he was living in New York City
with his wife, novelist Ellen Brodkey (née Ellen Schwamm
).
Brodkey is most famous for his long-awaited novel A Party of Animals, which was eventually published (perhaps only in part) as The Runaway Soul
(1991).
He died of complication of AIDS
.
, which received widespread critical praise at the time of its 1958 publication. Soon thereafter, in 1964, Brodkey signed a book contract with Random House
for his first novel, titled A Party of Animals (it was also referred to as The Animal Corner). The unfinished novel was subsequently resold to Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 1970, and later to Knopf in 1979. During this period, Brodkey published a number of stories, most of them in the New Yorker
, that dealt with a set of recurring characters—the evidently autobiographical Wiley Silenowicz and his adoptive family—and which were announced as fragments of the novel. His editor at Knopf, Gordon Lish
, called the novel in progress "the one necessary American narrative work of this century."[Newsweek, November 18, 1991.] Literary critic Harold Bloom
declared "If he's ever able to solve his publishing problems, he'll be seen as one of the great writers of his day."[Time magazine, November 25, 1991.]In addition to publishing at the New Yorker, Brodkey earned a living during this period by writing television pilot
scripts for NBC
, and teaching at Cornell University
. Three long stories from A Party of Animals were collected in Women and Angels (1985), and a larger number (including those three) in 1988's Stories in an Almost Classical Mode
. Evidently Brodkey had decided to omit them from the novel, for when in 1991 he published The Runaway Soul
, a very long (835-page) novel dramatizing Wiley's early life, no material from Stories in an Almost Classical Mode
was included. The novel seems to be either A Party of Animals under a new title or the first volume of an eventual multi-volume work. Brodkey made some comments that suggested the latter, but no further material was published in his lifetime, or has been since.
Staunton, Illinois
Staunton is a city in Macoupin County, Illinois, United States. The population was 5,030 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Staunton is located at ....
– January 26, 1996 Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
) was an American writer, and novelist.
Life
Brodkey was raised in University City, MissouriUniversity City, Missouri
University City is an inner-ring suburb in St. Louis County, Missouri. The population was 35,371 in 2010 census. The city was shaped by Washington University in St. Louis, whose campus abuts the city to the southeast....
outside St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
. After graduating from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1952, Brodkey began his writing career by contributing short stories to The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
and other magazines. His stories have won him two first-place O. Henry Award
O. Henry Award
The O. Henry Award is the only yearly award given to short stories of exceptional merit. The award is named after the American master of the form, O. Henry....
s. In 1993 Brodkey announced in The New Yorker that he had contracted AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. He later wrote This Wild Darkness about his battle with the disease. At the time of his death in 1996, he was living in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with his wife, novelist Ellen Brodkey (née Ellen Schwamm
Ellen Schwamm
Ellen Brodkey is an American novelist. She is the author of Adjacent Lives , and How He Saved Her . She was married to the American writer Harold Brodkey.-References:...
).
Brodkey is most famous for his long-awaited novel A Party of Animals, which was eventually published (perhaps only in part) as The Runaway Soul
The Runaway Soul
The Runaway Soul, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 1991, first edition ISBN 9-780374-252861, Library of Congress catalog card number 91-75885, is the long-awaited first novel by Harold Brodkey...
(1991).
He died of complication of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
.
Literary career
Brodkey's career began quite promisingly with the short story collection First Love and Other SorrowsFirst Love and Other Sorrows
thumb|1st edition cover First Love and Other Sorrows is a collection of short stories by Harold Brodkey, first published in 1958. Ten of its eleven stories were originally printed in The New Yorker and "Trio for Three Gentle Voices" in Mademoiselle...
, which received widespread critical praise at the time of its 1958 publication. Soon thereafter, in 1964, Brodkey signed a book contract with Random House
Random House
Random House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
for his first novel, titled A Party of Animals (it was also referred to as The Animal Corner). The unfinished novel was subsequently resold to Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 1970, and later to Knopf in 1979. During this period, Brodkey published a number of stories, most of them in the New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
, that dealt with a set of recurring characters—the evidently autobiographical Wiley Silenowicz and his adoptive family—and which were announced as fragments of the novel. His editor at Knopf, Gordon Lish
Gordon Lish
Gordon Jay Lish is an American writer. As a literary editor, he championed many American authors, particularly Raymond Carver, Barry Hannah, Amy Hempel, and Richard Ford.-Early life and family:...
, called the novel in progress "the one necessary American narrative work of this century."[Newsweek, November 18, 1991.] Literary critic Harold Bloom
Harold Bloom
Harold Bloom is an American writer and literary critic, and is Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. He is known for his defense of 19th-century Romantic poets, his unique and controversial theories of poetic influence, and his prodigious literary output, particularly for a literary...
declared "If he's ever able to solve his publishing problems, he'll be seen as one of the great writers of his day."[Time magazine, November 25, 1991.]In addition to publishing at the New Yorker, Brodkey earned a living during this period by writing television pilot
Television pilot
A "television pilot" is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell the show to a television network. At the time of its inception, the pilot is meant to be the "testing ground" to see if a series will be possibly desired and successful and therefore a test episode of an...
scripts for NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
, and teaching at Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. Three long stories from A Party of Animals were collected in Women and Angels (1985), and a larger number (including those three) in 1988's Stories in an Almost Classical Mode
Stories in an Almost Classical Mode
Stories in an Almost Classical Mode is a short story collection by the American writer Harold Brodkey, published in 1988 by Alfred A. Knopf. Most of the stories were published in The New Yorker, between 1963 and 1988. It was Brodkey's first book in 30 years, and presaged his much-heralded but...
. Evidently Brodkey had decided to omit them from the novel, for when in 1991 he published The Runaway Soul
The Runaway Soul
The Runaway Soul, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 1991, first edition ISBN 9-780374-252861, Library of Congress catalog card number 91-75885, is the long-awaited first novel by Harold Brodkey...
, a very long (835-page) novel dramatizing Wiley's early life, no material from Stories in an Almost Classical Mode
Stories in an Almost Classical Mode
Stories in an Almost Classical Mode is a short story collection by the American writer Harold Brodkey, published in 1988 by Alfred A. Knopf. Most of the stories were published in The New Yorker, between 1963 and 1988. It was Brodkey's first book in 30 years, and presaged his much-heralded but...
was included. The novel seems to be either A Party of Animals under a new title or the first volume of an eventual multi-volume work. Brodkey made some comments that suggested the latter, but no further material was published in his lifetime, or has been since.
Short story collections
- First Love and Other SorrowsFirst Love and Other Sorrowsthumb|1st edition cover First Love and Other Sorrows is a collection of short stories by Harold Brodkey, first published in 1958. Ten of its eleven stories were originally printed in The New Yorker and "Trio for Three Gentle Voices" in Mademoiselle...
(19581958 in literatureThe year 1958 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*August 18 - Vladimir Nabokov's controversial novel Lolita is published in United States.*First volume of The Civil War by Shelby Foote is published....
, ISBN 0-8050-6010-3) - Stories in an Almost Classical ModeStories in an Almost Classical ModeStories in an Almost Classical Mode is a short story collection by the American writer Harold Brodkey, published in 1988 by Alfred A. Knopf. Most of the stories were published in The New Yorker, between 1963 and 1988. It was Brodkey's first book in 30 years, and presaged his much-heralded but...
(19881988 in literatureThe year 1988 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Margaret Atwood - Cat's Eye*J.G. Ballard - Memories of the Space Age*Iain M...
, ISBN 0-679-72431-1) - The World is the Home of Love and DeathThe World is the Home of Love and DeathThe World Is the Home of Love and Death: Stories is a collection of short stories written by Harold Brodkey and first published posthumously in 1997. Most of the stories were written to be part of his novel The Runaway Soul and concern its characters...
(19971997 in literatureThe year 1997 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Tom Clancy signs a book deal with Pearson Custom Publishing and Penguin Putnam Inc. , giving him US$50 million for the world-English rights to two new books . A second agreement gives him another US$25 million for a...
), ISBN 0-8050-5999
Novels
- The Runaway SoulThe Runaway SoulThe Runaway Soul, published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux in 1991, first edition ISBN 9-780374-252861, Library of Congress catalog card number 91-75885, is the long-awaited first novel by Harold Brodkey...
(19911991 in literatureThe year 1991 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Douglas Coupland publishes the novel Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, popularizing the term Generation X as the name of the generation....
, ISBN 0-374-25286-6) - Profane Friendship (19941994 in literatureThe year 1994 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-New books:*Kevin J. Anderson - Champions of the Force, Dark Apprentice and Jedi Search*Reed Arvin - The Wind in the Wheat*Greg Bear - Songs of Earth and Power...
, ISBN 0-374-52973-6)
Non-fiction
- This Wild Darkness: The Story of My DeathThis Wild Darkness: The Story of My DeathThis Wild Darkness is a compilation of essays written by Harold Brodkey as he neared death from AIDS and first published in 1996. The memoirs were written from when he was first diagnosed with AIDS until it left him too feeble to write, as he details in the later entries. Many were first printed...
(19961996 in literatureThe year 1996 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*Harper Lee's novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, is removed from an advanced placement English reading list in Lindale, Texas because it "conflicted with the values of the community."* In the United Kingdom, the first...
, ISBN 0-8050-4831-6) - My Venice (19981998 in literatureThe year 1998 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*March 5 - Tennessee Williams' 1938 play, Not About Nightingales, receives its stage première....
, ISBN 0-8050-4833-2) - Sea Battles on Dry Land: Essays (19991999 in literatureThe year 1999 in literature involved some significant events and new books.-Events:*June 19 - Stephen King is hit by a Dodge van while taking a walk. He spends the next three weeks hospitalized...
, ISBN 0-8050-6052-9)