Grace Flandrau
Encyclopedia
Grace Hodgson Flandrau was an American
author of novels, short stories and journalistic pieces
. Although she achieved a certain degree of critical acclaim for several of her novels, short stories and some of her journalism career during the 1920s, '30s and '40s, she faded from public literary view in the later part of her life. Flaudrau's reputation is re-emerging as a prominent writer due to a 2007 biography, which has been promoted by, among others, Garrison Keillor
.
Following her marriage to William Blair Flandrau in 1909, she embarked on a career as a writer. She wrote six books, three of which were turned into motion pictures, and more than four dozen short stories. During her lifetime, she was one of Minnesota's best-known authors, with her own radio show and a weekly column in the St. Paul Dispatch.
Flandrau was well respected throughout her writing years in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. F. Scott Fitzgerald
, a fellow Saint Paul writer, said that her novel, Being Respectable, was "better than Babbitt
" and confided in a personal letter that Edith Wharton
liked that book "better than any American novel in years." Flandrau's work was included in The Best Short Story collections for 1932, 1933 and 1943.
Here next novel, Entranced, was not as successful as Being Respectable, and Flandrau began to focus on journalism. She turned out several pamphlets on early Minnesota history for the Great Northern Railway, which was then based in St. Paul, and a trip to Africa in 1927 provided fruitful material for a travel book, Then I Saw the Congo, as well as a collection of stories, Under the Sun. As a travel writer, Flandrau was ahead of her time, exploring her exotic locale from an objective, humanistic standpoint, and challenging the notion that Europeans were the superior race. Of Flandrau's six books, only Cousin Julia is still in print.
Flandrau continued writing into the mid-1940s, but an increasing sense of despair and depression overcame her and she published little after 1949.
Many of her short stories were published in such magazines as Scribner's Magazine
, The New Yorker
, The Saturday Evening Post
and Harper's Magazine
, among others.
Flandrau was a close friend of Theodate Pope Riddle
, who provided her with a life tenancy
in a house on the Hill-Stead
estate in Farmington, Connecticut
.
Flandrau died there on December 27, 1971. By the time her will was probated in 1973, her estate was valued at $10,000,000. In her will, she left a major bequest to establish, in honor of her brother-in-law, the Charles Macomb Flandrau Fund at Harvard University
, aimed to encourage good writing. Her gift to the University of Arizona
led to the construction in 1971 of the The Flandrau Planetarium and Science Center in Tucson.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author of novels, short stories and journalistic pieces
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
. Although she achieved a certain degree of critical acclaim for several of her novels, short stories and some of her journalism career during the 1920s, '30s and '40s, she faded from public literary view in the later part of her life. Flaudrau's reputation is re-emerging as a prominent writer due to a 2007 biography, which has been promoted by, among others, Garrison Keillor
Garrison Keillor
Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio personality. He is known as host of the Minnesota Public Radio show A Prairie Home Companion Gary Edward "Garrison" Keillor (born August 7, 1942) is an American author, storyteller, humorist, and radio...
.
Biography
Grace Corrin Hodgson was born in 1886 in St. Paul, Minnesota, the illegitimate daughter of Edward John Hodgson and Anna Redding Hodson. She was raised by Hodgson and his wife, Mary Staples Hodgson.Following her marriage to William Blair Flandrau in 1909, she embarked on a career as a writer. She wrote six books, three of which were turned into motion pictures, and more than four dozen short stories. During her lifetime, she was one of Minnesota's best-known authors, with her own radio show and a weekly column in the St. Paul Dispatch.
Flandrau was well respected throughout her writing years in the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. F. Scott Fitzgerald
F. Scott Fitzgerald
Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald was an American author of novels and short stories, whose works are the paradigm writings of the Jazz Age, a term he coined himself. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers of the 20th century. Fitzgerald is considered a member of the "Lost...
, a fellow Saint Paul writer, said that her novel, Being Respectable, was "better than Babbitt
Babbitt (novel)
Babbitt, first published in 1922, is a novel by Sinclair Lewis. Largely a satire of American culture, society, and behavior, it critiques the vacuity of middle-class American life and its pressure on individuals toward conformity....
" and confided in a personal letter that Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton
Edith Wharton , was a Pulitzer Prize-winning American novelist, short story writer, and designer.- Early life and marriage:...
liked that book "better than any American novel in years." Flandrau's work was included in The Best Short Story collections for 1932, 1933 and 1943.
Here next novel, Entranced, was not as successful as Being Respectable, and Flandrau began to focus on journalism. She turned out several pamphlets on early Minnesota history for the Great Northern Railway, which was then based in St. Paul, and a trip to Africa in 1927 provided fruitful material for a travel book, Then I Saw the Congo, as well as a collection of stories, Under the Sun. As a travel writer, Flandrau was ahead of her time, exploring her exotic locale from an objective, humanistic standpoint, and challenging the notion that Europeans were the superior race. Of Flandrau's six books, only Cousin Julia is still in print.
Flandrau continued writing into the mid-1940s, but an increasing sense of despair and depression overcame her and she published little after 1949.
Many of her short stories were published in such magazines as Scribner's Magazine
Scribner's Magazine
Scribner's Magazine was an American periodical published by the publishing house of Charles Scribner's Sons from January 1887 to May 1939. Scribner's Magazine was the second magazine out of the "Scribner's" firm, after the publication of Scribner's Monthly...
, 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...
, The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
and 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...
, among others.
Flandrau was a close friend of Theodate Pope Riddle
Theodate Pope Riddle
Theodate Pope Riddle was an American architect. She was one of the first American women architects as well as a survivor of the Lusitania.-Life:...
, who provided her with a life tenancy
Life estate
A life estate is a concept used in common law and statutory law to designate the ownership of land for the duration of a person's life. In legal terms it is an estate in real property that ends at death when there is a "reversion" to the original owner...
in a house on the Hill-Stead
Hill-Stead Museum
Hill-Stead Museum, also known as Hill-Stead, is a Colonial Revival house and art museum in Farmington, Connecticut, USA. It is best known for its French Impressionist masterpieces, architecture, and stately grounds.-House and museum:...
estate in Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington, Connecticut
Farmington is a town located in Hartford County in the Farmington Valley area of central Connecticut in the United States. The population was 25,340 at the 2010 census. It is home to the world headquarters of several large corporations including Carrier Corporation, Otis Elevator Company, and Carvel...
.
Flandrau died there on December 27, 1971. By the time her will was probated in 1973, her estate was valued at $10,000,000. In her will, she left a major bequest to establish, in honor of her brother-in-law, the Charles Macomb Flandrau Fund at 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...
, aimed to encourage good writing. Her gift to the University of Arizona
University of Arizona
The University of Arizona is a land-grant and space-grant public institution of higher education and research located in Tucson, Arizona, United States. The University of Arizona was the first university in the state of Arizona, founded in 1885...
led to the construction in 1971 of the The Flandrau Planetarium and Science Center in Tucson.
Books
- Cousin Julia (1917)
- Being Respectable (1923)
- Entranced (1924)
- Then I Saw the Congo (1929)
- Indeed This Flesh (1934)
- Under the Sun. Tales of Love and Death (1936)