John Kendrick Bangs
Encyclopedia
John Kendrick Bangs was an American
author
, editor and satirist.
. His father was a lawyer in New York City
.
He went to Columbia University
from 1880 to 1883 where he became editor of Columbia's literary magazine and contributed short anonymous pieces to humor magazines. After graduation in 1883, Bangs entered Columbia Law School
but left in 1884 to become Associate Editor of Life
under Edward S. Martin. Bangs contributed many articles and poems to the magazine between 1884 and 1888. During this period, Bangs published his first books.
In 1888 Bangs left Life to work at Harper's Magazine
, Harper's Bazaar
and Harper's Young People
. From 1889 to 1900 he held the title of Editor of the Departments of Humor for all three Harper's magazines and from 1899 to 1901 served as active editor of Harper's Weekly
. Bangs also served for a short time (January–June, 1889) as the first editor of Munsey's Magazine
and became editor of the American edition of the Harper-owned Literature from January to November, 1899.
He left Harper & Brothers in 1901 and became editor of the New Metropolitan magazine in 1903. In 1904 he was appointed editor of Puck
, perhaps the foremost American humor magazine of its day. In this period, he revived his earlier interest in drama. In 1906 he switched his focus to the lecture circuit.
Agnes Hyde Bangs, his wife with whom he had three sons, died in 1903. Bangs then married Mary Gray. In 1907 they moved from Yonkers to Ogunquit, Maine
. John Kendrick Bangs died from stomach cancer
in 1922 at age fifty-nine, in Atlantic City, New Jersey
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, editor and satirist.
Biography
He was born in Yonkers, New YorkYonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
. His father was a lawyer 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...
.
He went to Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
from 1880 to 1883 where he became editor of Columbia's literary magazine and contributed short anonymous pieces to humor magazines. After graduation in 1883, Bangs entered Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
but left in 1884 to become Associate Editor of Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
under Edward S. Martin. Bangs contributed many articles and poems to the magazine between 1884 and 1888. During this period, Bangs published his first books.
In 1888 Bangs left Life to work at Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
, Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar
Harper’s Bazaar is an American fashion magazine, first published in 1867. Harper’s Bazaar is published by Hearst and, as a magazine, considers itself to be the style resource for “women who are the first to buy the best, from casual to couture.”...
and Harper's Young People
Harper's Young People
Harper's Young People was an American children's magazine between 1879 and 1899. It was published by Harper & Brothers. It was Harper's fourth magazine to be established, after Harper's Magazine , Harper's Weekly , and Harper's Bazaar...
. From 1889 to 1900 he held the title of Editor of the Departments of Humor for all three Harper's magazines and from 1899 to 1901 served as active editor of Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly
Harper's Weekly was an American political magazine based in New York City. Published by Harper & Brothers from 1857 until 1916, it featured foreign and domestic news, fiction, essays on many subjects, and humor...
. Bangs also served for a short time (January–June, 1889) as the first editor of Munsey's Magazine
Munsey's Magazine
Munsey's Weekly, later known as Munsey's Magazine was a thirty-six page quarto magazine founded by Frank A. Munsey in 1889. Munsey aimed at "a magazine of the people and for the people, with pictures and art and good cheer and human interest throughout". John Kendrick Bangs was the editor. The...
and became editor of the American edition of the Harper-owned Literature from January to November, 1899.
He left Harper & Brothers in 1901 and became editor of the New Metropolitan magazine in 1903. In 1904 he was appointed editor of Puck
Puck (magazine)
Puck was America's first successful humor magazine of colorful cartoons, caricatures and political satire of the issues of the day. It was published from 1871 until 1918.-History:...
, perhaps the foremost American humor magazine of its day. In this period, he revived his earlier interest in drama. In 1906 he switched his focus to the lecture circuit.
Agnes Hyde Bangs, his wife with whom he had three sons, died in 1903. Bangs then married Mary Gray. In 1907 they moved from Yonkers to Ogunquit, Maine
Ogunquit, Maine
Ogunquit is a town in York County, Maine, United States. As of the 2000 census its population was 1,226. The popularity of the town as a summer resort is epitomized by its motto, "Beautiful Place by the Sea."...
. John Kendrick Bangs died from stomach cancer
Stomach cancer
Gastric cancer, commonly referred to as stomach cancer, can develop in any part of the stomach and may spread throughout the stomach and to other organs; particularly the esophagus, lungs, lymph nodes, and the liver...
in 1922 at age fifty-nine, in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
.
Partial bibliography
- Roger Camerden, A Strange Story (1887)
- Tappleton's Client: or A Spirit in Exile (1893)
- The Water Ghost, and others (1894)
- Thurlow's Christmas Story (1894) In 2009, The Library of America selected this story for inclusion in its two-century retrospective of American Fantastic Tales, edited by Peter StraubPeter StraubPeter Francis Straub is an American author and poet, most famous for his work in the horror genre. His horror fiction has received numerous literary honors such as the Bram Stoker Award, World Fantasy Award, and International Horror Guild Award, placing him among the most-honored horror authors in...
. - Mr. Bonaparte of Corsica (1895)
- The Bicyclers and Three Other Farces (1896)
- Ghosts I Have Met and Some Others (1898)
- The Dreamers: A Club (1899)
- Over the Plum Pudding (1901)
- Bikey the Skicycle and Other Tales of Jimmieboy (1902)
- Rollo in EmblemlandRollo in EmblemlandRollo in Emblemland or Emblemland is a novel by John Kendrick Bangs, written in 1902 and published by R. H. Russell of New York...
(1902) - Mollie and the Unwiseman (1902)
- Olympian Nights (1902)
- The Inventions of the Idiot (1904)
- Worsted Man: A Musical Play for Amateurs (1905)
- R. Holmes & Co.: Being the Remarkable Adventures of Raffles Holmes, Esq., Detective and Amateur Cracksman by Birth (1906)
- Alice in Blunderland, An Iridescent Dream (1907)
- The Whole Family: a Novel by Twelve Authors (1908) - one chapter
- Coffee and Repartee
- Three Weeks in Politics
- Associated ShadesAssociated ShadesThe Associated Shades are a group of famous dead people appearing in some of John Kendrick Bangs' works. They are a sort of corporation, which first appears in A House-Boat on the Styx, and are also something of an exclusive club.Members include:...
novels:- A House-Boat on the StyxA House-Boat on the StyxA House-Boat on the Styx is a book written by John Kendrick Bangs and published in 1895.-Plot summary:The premise of the book is that everyone who has ever died has gone to Styx, the river that circles the underworld.The book begins with Charon, ferryman of the Styx being...
(1895) - Pursuit of the House-BoatPursuit of the House-BoatPursuit of the House-Boat is an 1897 novel by John Kendrick Bangs, and the second one to feature his Associated Shades take on the afterlife.-Plot summary:...
(1897) - The Enchanted Type-WriterThe Enchanted Type-WriterThe Enchanted Type-Writer is a collection of short stories by the American author John Kendrick Bangs, written in 1899 in the style that has become known as Bangsian fantasy. Bangs attributes many of the stories to the late James Boswell, who has become an editor for a newspaper in Hades, and who...
(1899) - Mr. Munchausen: Being a True Account of Some of the Recent Adventures Beyond the Styx of the Late Hieronymus Carl Friedrich, Sometime Baron Munchausen of Bodenwerder (1901; cf. Baron MünchhausenBaron MunchhausenKarl Friedrich Hieronymus, Freiherr von Münchhausen , usually known as Baron Münchhausen in English, was a German nobleman born in Bodenwerder and a famous recounter of tall tales....
)
- A House-Boat on the Styx
External links
- Works by John Kendrick Bangs at Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
- The elf-man / words by John Kendrick Bangs; music by John Barnes Wells (From the Sibley Music Library Digital Score Collection)
- Fantastic Fiction - John Kendrick Bangs