James Jones (author)
Encyclopedia
James Jones was an American
author known for his explorations of World War II
and its aftermath.
, the son of Ramon and Ada M. (née Blessing) Jones. He enlisted in the United States Army
in 1939 and served in the 25th Infantry Division before and during World War II
, first in Hawaii
at Schofield Barracks on Oahu
, then in combat on Guadalcanal
, where he was wounded in action.
His wartime experiences inspired some of his most famous works. He witnessed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
, which led to his first published novel, From Here to Eternity
. The Thin Red Line
reflected his combat experiences on Guadalcanal. His last novel, Whistle
, was based on his hospital stay in Memphis, Tennessee
, recovering from surgery on an ankle he had reinjured on the island.
His second published novel, Some Came Running
, had its roots in his first attempted novel, which he called They Shall Inherit the Laughter, a thinly disguised autobiographical novel of his experiences in Robinson immediately after World War II. After several rejections (with various complaints and claims for the work being too shrill and lacking perspective), Jones abandoned They Shall Inherit the Laughter and went to work writing From Here to Eternity, which won the National Book Award
in 1952 and has been named one of the 100 best novels of the 20th century by the Modern Library
.
Conversely Some Came Running – albeit made into a critically acclaimed film starring Frank Sinatra
, Dean Martin
and Shirley MacLaine
that was nominated for several Oscars – was savaged by the critics who were especially harsh with Jones' frequently misspelled words and punctuation errors throughout numerous passages of the book. Actually the critics had not realized that such elements were a conscious style choice by Jones to expound the provinciality of the novel's characters and setting. Jones apparently played around with this style with several short stories written at about the same time as Some Came Running (later incorporated into the collection The Ice-Cream Headache and Other Stories), only to abandon it altogether for the blunt but more grammatically sound style most associated with Jones by the time he finished The Thin Red Line in 1962.
Jones assisted in the formation of the Handy Writers' Colony
in Marshall, Illinois
, funded largely on the financial success of From Here To Eternity, and organized by his then-lover, Lowney Handy (Ms. Handy was still married at the time). Originally conceived as a Utopian commune where budding artists could focus exclusively on their writing projects, the colony dissolved after only a few years, largely in part because of Handy's own erratic behavior and Jones' focus on his own novels. The colony dissolved a few years after James Jones relocated to France following his marriage to Gloria Mosolino.
Jones would not live long enough to see the completion of his last novel, Whistle, (Jones knew he was dying of congestive heart failure while writing it). However, Jones did leave behind copious notes for Willie Morris
to complete the final section of Whistle upon his death.
The posthumous publication of Whistle in 1978 saw the completion of Jones' war trilogy (the first parts being From Here to Eternity and The Thin Red Line), of which he wrote: "It will say just about everything I have ever had to say, or will ever have to say, on the human condition
of war and what it means to us, as against what we claim it means to us."
Jones is the father of two children, including author Kaylie Jones
, best known for writing A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, a thinly veiled memoir of the Joneses living in Paris during the 1960s. Ms. Jones' novel was made into a film starring Kris Kristofferson
, Barbara Hershey
and Leelee Sobieski
in 1998. The release of this film, along with the 1998 release of a new film version of The Thin Red Line, directed by Terrence Malick
and produced by Robert Michael Geisler and John Roberdeau, sparked a revival of interest in James Jones' life and works. In 2011, Ms. Jones was instrumental in publishing an uncensored edition of James Jones' From Here to Eternity.
Jones died in Southampton, New York
of congestive heart failure and is buried in Poxabogue-Evergreen Cemetery, Bridgehampton, New York
. His papers are now held at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin
. His widow, Gloria, died on June 9, 2006. Many of James Jones's books are still available in digital format including an unpublished work "To the End of the War."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author known for his explorations of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and its aftermath.
Life and work
James Ramon Jones was born and raised in Robinson, IllinoisRobinson, Illinois
Robinson is a city in Crawford County, Illinois, United States. The population was 6,822 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Crawford County.-Geography:Robinson is located at ....
, the son of Ramon and Ada M. (née Blessing) Jones. He enlisted in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in 1939 and served in the 25th Infantry Division before and during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, first in Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
at Schofield Barracks on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
, then in combat on Guadalcanal
Guadalcanal campaign
The Guadalcanal Campaign, also known as the Battle of Guadalcanal and codenamed Operation Watchtower by Allied forces, was a military campaign fought between August 7, 1942 and February 9, 1943 on and around the island of Guadalcanal in the Pacific theatre of World War II...
, where he was wounded in action.
His wartime experiences inspired some of his most famous works. He witnessed the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
, which led to his first published novel, From Here to Eternity
From Here to Eternity (novel)
From Here to Eternity is the debut novel by James Jones, winner of the National Book Award for fiction in 1952. It was ranked 62 on Modern Library's list of the 100 Best Novels. It is loosely based on Jones' experiences in the pre-World War II Hawaiian Division's 27th Infantry and the unit in which...
. The Thin Red Line
The Thin Red Line (1962 novel)
The Thin Red Line is author James Jones's fictional account of the World War II Galloping Horse portion of the Battle of Mount Austen, specifically Hill 53, during the Guadalcanal campaign, which he experienced firsthand in the United States Army's 25th Infantry Division...
reflected his combat experiences on Guadalcanal. His last novel, Whistle
Whistle (novel)
Whistle , a novel by James Jones, tells the story of four wounded South Pacific veterans brought back by hospital ship to the United States during World War II...
, was based on his hospital stay in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, recovering from surgery on an ankle he had reinjured on the island.
His second published novel, Some Came Running
Some Came Running
Some Came Running is a novel by James Jones, published in 1957. It is the story of a war veteran with literary aspirations who returns in 1948 to his hometown of Parkman, Indiana, after a failed writing career...
, had its roots in his first attempted novel, which he called They Shall Inherit the Laughter, a thinly disguised autobiographical novel of his experiences in Robinson immediately after World War II. After several rejections (with various complaints and claims for the work being too shrill and lacking perspective), Jones abandoned They Shall Inherit the Laughter and went to work writing From Here to Eternity, which won the National Book Award
National Book Award
The National Book Awards are a set of American literary awards. Started in 1950, the Awards are presented annually to American authors for literature published in the current year. In 1989 the National Book Foundation, a nonprofit organization which now oversees and manages the National Book...
in 1952 and has been named one of the 100 best novels of the 20th century by the Modern Library
Modern Library
The Modern Library is a publishing company. Founded in 1917 by Albert Boni and Horace Liveright as an imprint of their publishing company Boni & Liveright, it was purchased in 1925 by Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer...
.
Conversely Some Came Running – albeit made into a critically acclaimed film starring Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
, Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
and Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine
Shirley MacLaine is an American film and theater actress, singer, dancer, activist and author, well-known for her beliefs in new age spirituality and reincarnation. She has written a large number of autobiographical works, many dealing with her spiritual beliefs as well as her Hollywood career...
that was nominated for several Oscars – was savaged by the critics who were especially harsh with Jones' frequently misspelled words and punctuation errors throughout numerous passages of the book. Actually the critics had not realized that such elements were a conscious style choice by Jones to expound the provinciality of the novel's characters and setting. Jones apparently played around with this style with several short stories written at about the same time as Some Came Running (later incorporated into the collection The Ice-Cream Headache and Other Stories), only to abandon it altogether for the blunt but more grammatically sound style most associated with Jones by the time he finished The Thin Red Line in 1962.
Jones assisted in the formation of the Handy Writers' Colony
Handy Writers' Colony
The Handy Writers' Colony, often called simply the Handy Colony or The Colony, was a writers' colony located in Marshall, Illinois, which operated from 1950–1964. The Handy Colony was founded in 1950 by Lowney Turner Handy and her husband, Harry Handy, along with Lowney's student , best-selling...
in Marshall, Illinois
Marshall, Illinois
Marshall is a city in Clark County, Illinois, United States, locatedabout west of Terre Haute, Indiana. The population was 3,771 at the 2000 census...
, funded largely on the financial success of From Here To Eternity, and organized by his then-lover, Lowney Handy (Ms. Handy was still married at the time). Originally conceived as a Utopian commune where budding artists could focus exclusively on their writing projects, the colony dissolved after only a few years, largely in part because of Handy's own erratic behavior and Jones' focus on his own novels. The colony dissolved a few years after James Jones relocated to France following his marriage to Gloria Mosolino.
Jones would not live long enough to see the completion of his last novel, Whistle, (Jones knew he was dying of congestive heart failure while writing it). However, Jones did leave behind copious notes for Willie Morris
Willie Morris
William Weaks "Willie" Morris , was an American writer and editor born in Jackson, Mississippi, though his family later moved to Yazoo City, Mississippi, which he immortalized in his works of prose. Morris' trademark was his lyrical prose style and reflections on the American South, particularly...
to complete the final section of Whistle upon his death.
The posthumous publication of Whistle in 1978 saw the completion of Jones' war trilogy (the first parts being From Here to Eternity and The Thin Red Line), of which he wrote: "It will say just about everything I have ever had to say, or will ever have to say, on the human condition
Human condition
The human condition encompasses the experiences of being human in a social, cultural, and personal context. It can be described as the irreducible part of humanity that is inherent and not connected to gender, race, class, etc. — a search for purpose, sense of curiosity, the inevitability of...
of war and what it means to us, as against what we claim it means to us."
Jones is the father of two children, including author Kaylie Jones
Kaylie Jones
Kaylie Jones is an American novelist. She was raised in Paris.- Background :Kaylie Jones is an American writer, memoirist and novelist...
, best known for writing A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, a thinly veiled memoir of the Joneses living in Paris during the 1960s. Ms. Jones' novel was made into a film starring Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Kristoffer "Kris" Kristofferson is an American musician, actor, and writer. He is known for hits such as "Me and Bobby McGee", "For the Good Times", "Sunday Mornin' Comin' Down", and "Help Me Make It Through the Night"...
, Barbara Hershey
Barbara Hershey
Barbara Hershey , also known as Barbara Seagull, is an American actress. In a career spanning nearly 50 years, she has played a variety of roles on television and in cinema, in several genres including westerns and comedies...
and Leelee Sobieski
Leelee Sobieski
Liliane Rudabet Gloria Elsveta Sobieski , known professionally as Leelee Sobieski, is an American actress. Sobieski achieved recognition in her mid-teens for her performance in the 1998 film Deep Impact...
in 1998. The release of this film, along with the 1998 release of a new film version of The Thin Red Line, directed by Terrence Malick
Terrence Malick
Terrence Frederick Malick is a U.S. film director, screenwriter, and producer. In a career spanning almost four decades, Malick has directed five feature films....
and produced by Robert Michael Geisler and John Roberdeau, sparked a revival of interest in James Jones' life and works. In 2011, Ms. Jones was instrumental in publishing an uncensored edition of James Jones' From Here to Eternity.
Jones died in Southampton, New York
Southampton (town), New York
The Town of Southampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, U.S., partly on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town had a total population of 54,712...
of congestive heart failure and is buried in Poxabogue-Evergreen Cemetery, Bridgehampton, New York
Bridgehampton, New York
Bridgehampton is a hamlet in the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 1,381 at the 2000 census....
. His papers are now held at the Harry Ransom Center at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. His widow, Gloria, died on June 9, 2006. Many of James Jones's books are still available in digital format including an unpublished work "To the End of the War."
External links
- The James Jones Literary Society
- James Jones Papers. Yale Collection of American Literature, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library.
- James Jones' Collection at the Harry Ransom Center at The University of Texas at Austin
- Handy Writers' Colony Collection. Archives/Special Collections, Brookens Library, University of Illinois at Springfield.
- Read Jones's interview with The Paris Review