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Mark Harris (November 19, 1922 – May 30, 2007) was an American novelist, literary biographer, and educator.


Biography


Early life

Harris was born Mark Harris Finkelstein in
Mount Vernon, New York Mount Vernon is a city in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is an inner suburb of New York City, immediately to the north of the borough of the Bronx. As of the 2020 census, Mount Vernon had a population of 73,893, making it the ...
, to Carlyle and Ruth (Klausner) Finkelstein. At the age of 11, he began keeping a diary, which he would maintain for every day of his life thereafter. After graduating in 1940 from Mount Vernon High School, he dropped his surname because "it was a difficult time for kids with Jewish names to get jobs." He subsequently went to work for Paul Winkler's Press Alliance news agency in New York City as a messenger and mimeograph operator. He was drafted into the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, ...
in January 1943. His growing opposition to war and his anger at the prevalence of racial discrimination in the Army led him to go AWOL from
Camp Wheeler Camp Wheeler was a United States Army base near Macon, Georgia. The camp was a staging location for many US Army units during World War I and World War II. It was named for Joseph Wheeler, a general in the Confederate States of America's Army and ...
, Georgia, in February 1944. He was soon arrested and then hospitalized for
psychoneurosis Neurosis is a class of functional mental disorders involving chronic distress, but neither delusions nor hallucinations. The term is no longer used by the professional psychiatric community in the United States, having been eliminated from t ...
. He was honorably discharged in April 1944. His wartime experience formed the basis for two of his novels, ''Trumpet to the World'' (1946) and ''Something About a Soldier'' (1957).


Journalism career

Harris joined '' The Daily Item'' of
Port Chester, New York Port Chester is a village in the U.S. state of New York and the largest part of the town of Rye in Westchester County by population. At the 2010 U.S. census, the village of Port Chester had a population of 28,967 and was the fifth-most popul ...
, as a reporter in May 1944. A year later he accepted a position with '' PM'' in New York City but was fired after two months. In July 1945 he was hired by the
International News Service The International News Service (INS) was a U.S.-based news agency (newswire) founded by newspaper publisher William Randolph Hearst in 1909.
and moved to
St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which ...
. While there, he met coworker Josephine Horen, whom he would marry in March 1946. After resigning in July 1946, he spent the next year and a half in a succession of short-lived journalism jobs in
Albuquerque, New Mexico Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
(''
Albuquerque Journal The ''Albuquerque Journal'' is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of New Mexico. History The ''Golden Gate'' newspaper was founded in June 1880. In the fall of 1880, the owner of the ''Golden Gate'' died and Journal Publishing Company was ...
''), Chicago ('' Negro Digest'' and ''
Ebony Ebony is a dense black/brown hardwood, coming from several species in the genus ''Diospyros'', which also contains the persimmons. Unlike most woods, ebony is dense enough to sink in water. It is finely textured and has a mirror finish when po ...
''), and New York (Park Row News Service).


Academic career

In February 1948, Harris enrolled at the
University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral ...
, from which he received a
Master's degree A master's degree (from Latin ) is an academic degree awarded by universities or colleges upon completion of a course of study demonstrating mastery or a high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice.
in English in 1951 as well as obtaining a PhD in
American Studies American studies or American civilization is an interdisciplinary field of scholarship that examines American literature, history, society, and culture. It traditionally incorporates literary criticism, historiography and critical theory. Scho ...
from the
University of Minnesota The University of Minnesota, formally the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, (UMN Twin Cities, the U of M, or Minnesota) is a public land-grant research university in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States. ...
in 1956, writing his doctoral dissertation on the progressive writer and intellectual
Randolph Bourne Randolph Silliman Bourne (; May 30, 1886 – December 22, 1918) was a progressive writer and intellectual born in Bloomfield, New Jersey, and a graduate of Columbia University. He is considered to be a spokesman for the young radicals living d ...
. After obtaining his doctorate, Harris began a long, productive career as a college educator. In September 1956, he was hired by the English department of
San Francisco State College San Francisco State University (commonly referred to as San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a public research university in San Francisco. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers 118 different ...
, where he taught until 1967. He went on to teach at several other universities, including
Purdue University Purdue University is a public land-grant research university in West Lafayette, Indiana, and the flagship campus of the Purdue University system. The university was founded in 1869 after Lafayette businessman John Purdue donated land and m ...
(1967–1970),
California Institute of the Arts The California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) is a private art university in Santa Clarita, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the US created specifically for students of bo ...
(1970–1973), the
University of Southern California , mottoeng = "Let whoever earns the palm bear it" , religious_affiliation = Nonsectarian—historically Methodist , established = , accreditation = WSCUC , type = Private research university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $ ...
(1973–1975), and the
University of Pittsburgh The University of Pittsburgh (Pitt) is a public state-related research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The university is composed of 17 undergraduate and graduate schools and colleges at its urban Pittsburgh campus, home to the univer ...
(1976–1980). In September 1980, he joined the faculty of
Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...
, where he was a professor of English and taught in the creative writing program until his retirement in 2001.


Writing career

Harris completed his first novel, ''Trumpet to the World'', while employed as a journalist in St. Louis. Published in 1946, ''Trumpet to the World'' is the story of a young black soldier married to a white woman who is put on trial for striking back at a white officer. Even while Harris attended school he continued to write fiction, producing three novels by the time he received his Ph.D. He continued to produce novels and contribute to
periodicals A periodical literature (also called a periodical publication or simply a periodical) is a published work that appears in a new edition on a regular schedule. The most familiar example is a newspaper, but a magazine or a journal are also example ...
through the years. Harris was best known for a quartet of novels about baseball players: '' The Southpaw'' (1953), '' Bang the Drum Slowly'' (1956), ''A Ticket for a Seamstitch'' (1957), and ''It Looked Like For Ever'' (1979). Written in the
vernacular A vernacular or vernacular language is in contrast with a "standard language". It refers to the language or dialect that is spoken by people that are inhabiting a particular country or region. The vernacular is typically the native language, n ...
, the books are the account of Henry "Author" Wiggen, a
pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...
for the fictional New York Mammoths. In 1956, ''Bang the Drum Slowly'' was adapted for an installment of the dramatic television
anthology series An anthology series is a radio, television, video game or film series that spans different genres and presents a different story and a different set of characters in each different episode, season, segment, or short. These usually have a diffe ...
''
The United States Steel Hour ''The United States Steel Hour'' is an anthology series which brought hour long dramas to television from 1953 to 1963. The television series and the radio program that preceded it were both sponsored by the United States Steel Corporation (U. S. ...
''; the production starred
Paul Newman Paul Leonard Newman (January 26, 1925 – September 26, 2008) was an American actor, film director, race car driver, philanthropist, and entrepreneur. He was the recipient of numerous awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, three ...
as Wiggen and
Albert Salmi Albert Salmi (March 11, 1928 – April 22, 1990) was an American actor of stage, film, and television. Best known for his work as a character actor, he appeared in over 150 film and television productions. Early life Salmi was born and raised ...
as doomed
catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...
Bruce Pearson. The novel also became a major motion picture in 1973, with a screenplay written by Harris, directed by John D. Hancock and featuring
Michael Moriarty Michael Moriarty (born April 5, 1941) is an American-Canadian actor and jazz musician. He received an Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award for his first acting role on American television as a Nazi SS officer in the 1978 mini-series ''Holocaust ...
as Wiggen and
Robert De Niro Robert Anthony De Niro Jr. ( , ; born August 17, 1943) is an American actor. Known for his collaborations with Martin Scorsese, he is considered to be one of the best actors of his generation. De Niro is the recipient of various accolades ...
as Pearson. Although '' Bang the Drum Slowly'' was Harris's only true popular success, most of his novels have received critical acclaim. These include ''Something about a Soldier'' (1957), ''Wake Up Stupid'' (1959), ''The Goy'' (1970), and ''Killing Everybody'' (1973). In 1960, while in his first college teaching position, at
San Francisco State College San Francisco State University (commonly referred to as San Francisco State, SF State and SFSU) is a public research university in San Francisco. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers 118 different ...
, Harris promoted his then-most-recent book in a TV appearance as guest contestant in "
You Bet Your Life ''You Bet Your Life'' is an American comedy quiz series that has aired on both radio and television. The original and best-known version was hosted by Groucho Marx of the Marx Brothers, with announcer and assistant George Fenneman. The show de ...
", a game played on ''The Groucho Show''. In the first chapter of his 1961 classic '' The Rhetoric of Fiction'', Wayne C. Booth quotes the "fine young novelist" Harris as saying: "You will no more expect the novelist to tell you precisely how something is said than you will expect him to stand by your chair and hold your book." In January 1962, ''
Something About a Soldier ''Something About a Soldier'', subtitled "A Comedy-drama in Three Acts", was a play written by Emmy-winning writer Ernest Kinoy. It premiered on Broadway at the Ambassador Theatre in New York on January 4, 1962, after a preview the night before. ...
'', a stage version of Harris's novel, played briefly on Broadway. Written by Ernest Kinoy and produced by the
Theatre Guild The Theatre Guild is a theatrical society founded in New York City in 1918 by Lawrence Langner, Philip Moeller, Helen Westley and Theresa Helburn. Langner's wife, Armina Marshall, then served as a co-director. It evolved out of the work of th ...
, it featured
Sal Mineo Salvatore Mineo Jr. (January 10, 1939 – February 12, 1976) was an American actor, singer, and director. He is best known for his role as John "Plato" Crawford in the drama film ''Rebel Without a Cause'' (1955), which earned him a nomination f ...
in the lead role. Later, the novel '' Bang the Drum Slowly'' was adapted into a stage play at the Next Theatre in
Evanston, Illinois Evanston ( ) is a city, suburb of Chicago. Located in Cook County, Illinois, United States, it is situated on the North Shore along Lake Michigan. Evanston is north of Downtown Chicago, bordered by Chicago to the south, Skokie to the west, ...
. In addition to his work as a novelist, Harris had a productive career in other literary genres. He authored numerous critical essays and articles, and has edited the poems of
Vachel Lindsay Nicholas Vachel Lindsay (; November 10, 1879 – December 5, 1931) was an American poet. He is considered a founder of modern ''singing poetry,'' as he referred to it, in which verses are meant to be sung or chanted. Early years Lindsay was born ...
(''Selected Poems of Vachel Lindsay'', 1963) and the journals of
James Boswell James Boswell, 9th Laird of Auchinleck (; 29 October 1740 ( N.S.) – 19 May 1795), was a Scottish biographer, diarist, and lawyer, born in Edinburgh. He is best known for his biography of his friend and older contemporary the English writer ...
(''Heart of Boswell'', 1981). Harris also wrote biographies of Lindsay (''City of Discontent'', 1952) and
Saul Bellow Saul Bellow (born Solomon Bellows; 10 July 1915 – 5 April 2005) was a Canadian-born American writer. For his literary work, Bellow was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the National Medal of Arts. He is the only wr ...
(''Saul Bellow: Drumlin Woodchuck'', 1980). He has also written three autobiographical books: ''Mark the Glove Boy, or The Last Days of Richard Nixon'' (1964), an account of Nixon's unsuccessful California gubernatorial campaign; ''Twentyone Twice: A Journal'' (1966), an account of his experiences in Sierra Leone as a member of the Peace Corps; and, finally, ''Best Father Ever Invented'' (1976), subtitled "An Autobiography of Mark Harris," in which he chronicles his life from late adolescence up to 1973. Harris died of complications of
Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that usually starts slowly and progressively worsens. It is the cause of 60–70% of cases of dementia. The most common early symptom is difficulty in remembering recent events. As ...
at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital at age 84. He was survived by his wife, Josephine Horen; his sister, Martha; two sons, one daughter, and three grandchildren. His nephew (the son of Harris's sister Martha Finkelstein) is the writer Saïd Sayrafiezadeh, author of the memoir ''When Skateboards Will Be Free: A Memoir of a Political Childhood''. Harris's papers are held i
Special Collections
at the
University of Delaware The University of Delaware (colloquially UD or Delaware) is a public land-grant research university located in Newark, Delaware. UD is the largest university in Delaware. It offers three associate's programs, 148 bachelor's programs, 121 m ...
.


Selected works


Novels

*''Trumpet to the World'' (1946) *'' The Southpaw'' (1953) *'' Bang the Drum Slowly'' (1956) * ''Something about a Soldier'' (1957) *''A Ticket for a Seamstitch'' (1957) *''Wake Up, Stupid'' (1959) *''The Goy'' (1970) *''Killing Everybody'' (1973) *''It Looked Like Forever'' (1979) *''Lying in Bed'' (1984) *''Speed'' (1990) *''The Tale Maker'' (1994)


Short stories

*''The Self-Made Brain Surgeon and Other Stories'' (1999)


Nonfiction

*''City of Discontent: An Interpretive Biography of
Vachel Lindsay Nicholas Vachel Lindsay (; November 10, 1879 – December 5, 1931) was an American poet. He is considered a founder of modern ''singing poetry,'' as he referred to it, in which verses are meant to be sung or chanted. Early years Lindsay was born ...
'' (1952) *''Mark the Glove Boy, or The Last Days of
Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was ...
'' (1964) *''Twentyone Twice: A Journal'' (1966) *''Best Father Ever Invented: The Autobiography Of Mark Harris'' (1976) *''Short Work of It: Selected Writings'' (1979) *''
Saul Bellow Saul Bellow (born Solomon Bellows; 10 July 1915 – 5 April 2005) was a Canadian-born American writer. For his literary work, Bellow was awarded the Pulitzer Prize, the Nobel Prize for Literature, and the National Medal of Arts. He is the only wr ...
: Drumlin Woodchuck'' (1980) *''Diamond – The Baseball Writings of Mark Harris'' (collection, 1994)


Plays

*''Friedman & Son'' (1963) *''Bang the Drum Slowly'' (1992)


Television plays

*''Boswell for the Defence'' (1983) *''Boswell's London Journal'' (1984)


Screenplays

*'' Bang the Drum Slowly'' (1973)


As editor

*''Selected Poems of Vachel Lindsay'' (1963) *''The Heart of Boswell: Six Journals in One Volume'' (1981)


References


External links


Mark Harris papers
Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, Newark, Delaware. * {{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Mark 1922 births 2007 deaths Writers from Mount Vernon, New York Deaths from Alzheimer's disease American male novelists American male biographers Novelists from Arizona Novelists from New York (state) University of Denver alumni University of Minnesota College of Liberal Arts alumni Arizona State University faculty People from Tempe, Arizona University of Minnesota faculty San Francisco State University faculty Purdue University faculty California Institute of the Arts faculty University of Southern California faculty University of Pittsburgh faculty Brandeis University faculty 20th-century American novelists 20th-century American biographers Novelists from Pennsylvania Novelists from Indiana Novelists from Massachusetts Novelists from Minnesota 20th-century American male writers Deaths from dementia in California United States Army personnel of World War II