Harry Sylvester
Encyclopedia
Harry Ambrose Sylvester (January 19, 1908 – September 26, 1993) was an American
short-story writer and novelist in the first half of the 20th century. His stories were published in popular magazines such as Collier's
, Esquire
and Commonweal
, publishing over 150 short stories. Some of his stories were published in a collection entitled All Your Idols in 1948 and in several other short story anthologies. Among his novels were Dearly Beloved (1942), Dayspring (1945), and Moon Gaffney (1947). He was credited with 'original screen story', along with John Steinbeck
and Alfred Hitchcock
, for Hitchcock's Lifeboat
(1944). A version of this story was published in Collier's in 1942.
Sylvester was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1908 and went to Notre Dame
, playing football for Knute Rockne
, graduating in 1930 with a degree in journalism
. He soon found work as a correspondent for the New York Evening Post and a reporter for the New York Herald Tribune
. By mid-century, he was considered to be a very promising writer in Catholic
circles but by the time of his death in 1993 he was virtually forgotten. He criticized the Catholic hierarchy heavily in several of his novels and dedicated Moon Gaffney to a group of "good Catholic radicals." He eventually renounced his faith and, with his second wife, became a Quaker. He didn't write a novel after 1950 and worked for the US Information Service for twenty years, spending the last 40 years of his life in the Washington, DC area.
His novel Dayspring was inspired by his trips to New Mexico
. The University of New Mexico
, University Libraries, Center for Southwest Research has a collection of bibliographic material and book reviews by and about Sylvester (and Willa Cather
). However, his complete papers are housed in Georgetown University
Library's Special Collections, and include correspondence, manuscripts and an unpublished work, Watch in the Night.
In the March 2007 issue of the journal First Things
, in an article by Philip Jenkins
entitled "Who is Harry Sylvester", Jenkins writes that Sylvester "lacks even the minimal fame of a Wikipedia entry."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
short-story writer and novelist in the first half of the 20th century. His stories were published in popular magazines such as Collier's
Collier's Weekly
Collier's Weekly was an American magazine founded by Peter Fenelon Collier and published from 1888 to 1957. With the passage of decades, the title was shortened to Collier's....
, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
and Commonweal
Commonweal
Commonweal is a American journal of opinion edited and managed by lay Catholics. It is headquartered in The Interchurch Center in New York City.-History:...
, publishing over 150 short stories. Some of his stories were published in a collection entitled All Your Idols in 1948 and in several other short story anthologies. Among his novels were Dearly Beloved (1942), Dayspring (1945), and Moon Gaffney (1947). He was credited with 'original screen story', along with John Steinbeck
John Steinbeck
John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath and East of Eden and the novella Of Mice and Men...
and Alfred Hitchcock
Alfred Hitchcock
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was a British film director and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres. After a successful career in British cinema in both silent films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood...
, for Hitchcock's Lifeboat
Lifeboat (film)
Lifeboat is an American war film directed by Alfred Hitchcock from a story written by John Steinbeck. The film stars Tallulah Bankhead, William Bendix, Walter Slezak, Mary Anderson, John Hodiak, Henry Hull, Heather Angel, Hume Cronyn and Canada Lee, and is set entirely on a lifeboat.The film is...
(1944). A version of this story was published in Collier's in 1942.
Sylvester was born in Brooklyn, New York in 1908 and went to Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
, playing football for Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
, graduating in 1930 with a degree in journalism
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...
. He soon found work as a correspondent for the New York Evening Post and a reporter for the New York Herald Tribune
New York Herald Tribune
The New York Herald Tribune was a daily newspaper created in 1924 when the New York Tribune acquired the New York Herald.Other predecessors, which had earlier merged into the New York Tribune, included the original The New Yorker newsweekly , and the Whig Party's Log Cabin.The paper was home to...
. By mid-century, he was considered to be a very promising writer in Catholic
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
circles but by the time of his death in 1993 he was virtually forgotten. He criticized the Catholic hierarchy heavily in several of his novels and dedicated Moon Gaffney to a group of "good Catholic radicals." He eventually renounced his faith and, with his second wife, became a Quaker. He didn't write a novel after 1950 and worked for the US Information Service for twenty years, spending the last 40 years of his life in the Washington, DC area.
His novel Dayspring was inspired by his trips to New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
. The University of New Mexico
University of New Mexico
The University of New Mexico at Albuquerque is a public research university located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in the United States. It is the state's flagship research institution...
, University Libraries, Center for Southwest Research has a collection of bibliographic material and book reviews by and about Sylvester (and Willa Cather
Willa Cather
Willa Seibert Cather was an American author who achieved recognition for her novels of frontier life on the Great Plains, in works such as O Pioneers!, My Ántonia, and The Song of the Lark. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours , a novel set during World War I...
). However, his complete papers are housed in Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
Library's Special Collections, and include correspondence, manuscripts and an unpublished work, Watch in the Night.
In the March 2007 issue of the journal First Things
First Things
First Things is an ecumenical journal focused on creating a "religiously informed public philosophy for the ordering of society". The journal is inter-denominational and inter-religious, representing a broad intellectual tradition of Christian and Jewish critique of contemporary society...
, in an article by Philip Jenkins
Philip Jenkins
Philip Jenkins is as of 2010 the Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Humanities at Pennsylvania State University . He was Professor and a Distinguished Professor of History and Religious studies at the same institution; and also assistant, associate and then full professor of Criminal Justice and...
entitled "Who is Harry Sylvester", Jenkins writes that Sylvester "lacks even the minimal fame of a Wikipedia entry."
Sources
- University of New Mexico Library Collection http://libxml.unm.edu/oanm/nmu/nmu1mss198sc.html
- Georgetown University Library Special Collection: http://www.library.georgetown.edu/dept/speccoll/cl220.htm
- Jenkins, Philip, "Who is Harry Sylvester" First Things 171, March 2007 (17-20).