Margaret Halsey
Encyclopedia
Margaret Halsey was an American writer who lived in the United Kingdom
for a short time. Her witty and humorous bestselling book With Malice Towards Some in 1938 grew out of her experiences there. It sold an impressive 600,000 copies. According to her New York Times obituary she was "a witty writer with an acute social concern, [and] was compared to Dorothy Parker
and H. L. Mencken
."
A number of her other books were controversial or took on controversial subjects. Banned in Georgia, Color Blind: A White Woman Looks at the Negro attacked racism by identifying at its core the fear of the sexuality of black people and the need for a cheap labor supply. Margaret Mead
reviewed it favorably.
Her book The Pseuo-Ethic: A Speculation on American Politics and Morals is a defense of Alger Hiss
.
. In 1933, editor and author Max Eastman
hired her as his secretary. With his help, she became an entry-level
employee at Simon & Schuster
.
After their marriage in 1935, Halsey and her first husband, Henry Simon, moved to Devon
, England. Her letters back to American relatives and friends inspired her brother-in-law, the publisher Richard L. Simon
, to ask her to write what would become With Malice Toward Some. Halsey and Simon divorced in 1944. A later marriage to Milton R. Stern ended in divorce in 1969. Their daughter, Deborah, survived both her parents despite brain cancer.
Halsey's struggles with agoraphobia
and alcoholism were the focus of her 1977 book, No Laughing Matter: The Autobiography of a WASP.
She died in a nursing home in White Plains, New York
.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
for a short time. Her witty and humorous bestselling book With Malice Towards Some in 1938 grew out of her experiences there. It sold an impressive 600,000 copies. According to her New York Times obituary she was "a witty writer with an acute social concern, [and] was compared to Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker
Dorothy Parker was an American poet, short story writer, critic and satirist, best known for her wit, wisecracks, and eye for 20th century urban foibles....
and H. L. Mencken
H. L. Mencken
Henry Louis "H. L." Mencken was an American journalist, essayist, magazine editor, satirist, acerbic critic of American life and culture, and a scholar of American English. Known as the "Sage of Baltimore", he is regarded as one of the most influential American writers and prose stylists of the...
."
A number of her other books were controversial or took on controversial subjects. Banned in Georgia, Color Blind: A White Woman Looks at the Negro attacked racism by identifying at its core the fear of the sexuality of black people and the need for a cheap labor supply. Margaret Mead
Margaret Mead
Margaret Mead was an American cultural anthropologist, who was frequently a featured writer and speaker in the mass media throughout the 1960s and 1970s....
reviewed it favorably.
Her book The Pseuo-Ethic: A Speculation on American Politics and Morals is a defense of Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss was an American lawyer, government official, author, and lecturer. He was involved in the establishment of the United Nations both as a U.S. State Department and U.N. official...
.
Life
She was born in Yonkers, New York, and attended Skidmore CollegeSkidmore College
Skidmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The college is located in the town of Saratoga Springs, New York State....
. In 1933, editor and author Max Eastman
Max Eastman
Max Forrester Eastman was an American writer on literature, philosophy and society, a poet, and a prominent political activist. For many years, Eastman was a supporter of socialism, a leading patron of the Harlem Renaissance and an activist for a number of liberal and radical causes...
hired her as his secretary. With his help, she became an entry-level
Entry-level job
An entry-level job is a job that is normally designed or designated for recent graduates of a given discipline, and does not require prior experience in the field or profession. These may require some on-site training. Many entry-level jobs are part-time, and do not include employee benefits...
employee at Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster
Simon & Schuster, Inc., a division of CBS Corporation, is a publisher founded in New York City in 1924 by Richard L. Simon and M. Lincoln Schuster. It is one of the four largest English-language publishers, alongside Random House, Penguin and HarperCollins...
.
After their marriage in 1935, Halsey and her first husband, Henry Simon, moved to Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England. Her letters back to American relatives and friends inspired her brother-in-law, the publisher Richard L. Simon
Richard L. Simon
Richard Leo Simon was an American businessman, Columbia University graduate, and co-founder of the publishing house Simon & Schuster. Born in New York City, his brother was music critic and author George T...
, to ask her to write what would become With Malice Toward Some. Halsey and Simon divorced in 1944. A later marriage to Milton R. Stern ended in divorce in 1969. Their daughter, Deborah, survived both her parents despite brain cancer.
Halsey's struggles with agoraphobia
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is an anxiety disorder defined as a morbid fear of having a panic attack or panic-like symptoms in a situation from which it is perceived to be difficult to escape. These situations can include, but are not limited to, wide-open spaces, crowds, or uncontrolled social conditions...
and alcoholism were the focus of her 1977 book, No Laughing Matter: The Autobiography of a WASP.
She died in a nursing home in White Plains, New York
White Plains, New York
White Plains is a city and the county seat of Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located in south-central Westchester, about east of the Hudson River and northwest of Long Island Sound...
.
Works
- With Malice Toward Some (1938)
- Some of My Best Friends Are Soldiers (1944)
- Color Blind: A White Woman Looks at the Negro (1946)
- The Folks at Home (1952)
- This demi-paradise : a Westchester diary (1960)
- The Pseudo-Ethic: A Speculation on American Politics and Morals (1963)
- No Laughing Matter: The Autobiography of a WASP (1977)