Jessamyn West (writer)
Encyclopedia
Mary Jessamyn West was an American Quaker
(originally from Indiana
) who wrote numerous stories and novels, notably The Friendly Persuasion
(1945).
She graduated from Fullerton High School in 1919 and Whittier College
in 1923. There she helped found the Palmer Society, in 1921.
. Growing up in the same rural Yorba Linda
region as Nixon, West attended a Sunday-school class taught by Nixon's father, Frank
, whom she described as "a fiery persuasive teacher." She later wrote that Frank Nixon's version of the social gospel
inclined her politically toward socialism
.
Much of her work concerns Indiana Quakers. Although she was born in Vernon, Indiana
she left the state at the age of six when her family moved to California
. Asked about this in an interview, she said, "I write about Indiana because knowing little about it, I can create it." Comparing herself to other authors that created fictional universes, she remarked:
West lived her last two decades in Napa Valley California, and died from a stroke
at the age of 81.
(1945) was West's most famous work. When it was published, New York Times book reviewer Orville Prescott
called it "as fresh and engaging, tender and touching a book as ever was called sentimental by callous wretches... There have been plenty of louder and more insistent books this year, but few as sure and mellow as The Friendly Persuasion."
The novel was adapted into the 1956 movie Friendly Persuasion
, starring Gary Cooper
and directed by William Wyler
. It was nominated for an Academy Award as "best picture."
To See the Dream, an autobiographical book, described her experiences as the movie's script writer.
Except for Me and Thee, the sequel to The Friendly Persuasion, was adapted into a 1975 television movie, titled Friendly Persuasion
, starring Richard Kiley.
In 2002 the city of Indianapolis selected The Friendly Persuasion as the One Book, One City
project for the year.
Religious Society of Friends
The Religious Society of Friends, or Friends Church, is a Christian movement which stresses the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers. Members are known as Friends, or popularly as Quakers. It is made of independent organisations, which have split from one another due to doctrinal differences...
(originally from Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
) who wrote numerous stories and novels, notably The Friendly Persuasion
The Friendly Persuasion
The Friendly Persuasion is an American novel published in 1945 by Jessamyn West. It was adapted as the motion picture Friendly Persuasion in 1956...
(1945).
She graduated from Fullerton High School in 1919 and Whittier College
Whittier College
Whittier College is a private liberal arts college in Whittier, California. As of January 2009, the college has approximately 1540 enrolled students.-Overview:...
in 1923. There she helped found the Palmer Society, in 1921.
Life and work
West was a second cousin of Richard NixonRichard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
. Growing up in the same rural Yorba Linda
Yorba Linda, California
Yorba Linda is a suburban city in northeastern Orange County, California, approximately northeast of Downtown Santa Ana, and southeast of Downtown Los Angeles....
region as Nixon, West attended a Sunday-school class taught by Nixon's father, Frank
Francis A. Nixon
Francis Anthony "Frank" Nixon was an American businessman and the father of U.S. President Richard Nixon....
, whom she described as "a fiery persuasive teacher." She later wrote that Frank Nixon's version of the social gospel
Social Gospel
The Social Gospel movement is a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that was most prominent in the early 20th century United States and Canada...
inclined her politically toward socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
.
Much of her work concerns Indiana Quakers. Although she was born in Vernon, Indiana
Vernon, Indiana
Vernon is a town in Vernon Township, Jennings County, Indiana, United States. As of the 2000 census, the town population was 330. As the county seat of Jennings County, it is the smallest town with that designation in the state of Indiana. It is nearly surrounded by the Muscatatuck River...
she left the state at the age of six when her family moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. Asked about this in an interview, she said, "I write about Indiana because knowing little about it, I can create it." Comparing herself to other authors that created fictional universes, she remarked:
- "RothPhilip RothPhilip Milton Roth is an American novelist. He gained fame with the 1959 novella Goodbye, Columbus, an irreverent and humorous portrait of Jewish-American life that earned him a National Book Award...
wrote The BreastThe BreastThe Breast is a novella by Philip Roth, in which the main character, David Kepesh, becomes a 155-pound breast. Throughout the book Kepesh fights with himself. Part of him wishes to give in to bodily desires, while the other part of him wants to be rational...
. Would you ask him how he could do this since he had never been a breast? Adams wrote Watership DownWatership DownWatership Down is a classic heroic fantasy novel, written by English author Richard Adams, about a small group of rabbits. Although the animals in the story live in their natural environment, they are anthropomorphised, possessing their own culture, language , proverbs, poetry, and mythology...
. Would you ask him how he could do this since he admitted his rabbit knowledge came from a book about rabbits? ... And those hobbitHobbitHobbits are a fictional diminutive race who inhabit the lands of Middle-earth in J. R. R. Tolkien's fiction.Hobbits first appeared in the novel The Hobbit, in which the main protagonist, Bilbo Baggins, is the titular hobbit...
s!... I am a bigger risk-taker than these others. The Hoosiers can contradict me. No rabbit, hobbit, or breast has been known to speak up in reply to their exploiters."
West lived her last two decades in Napa Valley California, and died from a stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
at the age of 81.
Published works
- The Friendly PersuasionThe Friendly PersuasionThe Friendly Persuasion is an American novel published in 1945 by Jessamyn West. It was adapted as the motion picture Friendly Persuasion in 1956...
- A Mirror for the Sky
- The Witch Diggers
- Cress Delahanty
- Love, Death, and the Ladies' Drill Team
- To See the Dream
- Love Is Not What You Think
- South of the Angels
- A Matter of Time
- Leafy Rivers
- Except for Me and Thee
- Crimson Ramblers of the World, Farewell
- Hide and Seek
- The Secret Look
- The Massacre at Fall Creek
- The Life I really Lived
- The Woman Said Yes
- Double Discovery
- The State of Stony Lonesome
- Collected Stories of Jessamyn West
Friendly Persuasion
The Friendly PersuasionThe Friendly Persuasion
The Friendly Persuasion is an American novel published in 1945 by Jessamyn West. It was adapted as the motion picture Friendly Persuasion in 1956...
(1945) was West's most famous work. When it was published, New York Times book reviewer Orville Prescott
Orville Prescott
Orville Prescott was the main book reviewer for the New York Times for 24 years.Born in Cleveland, Prescott graduated from Williams College in 1930...
called it "as fresh and engaging, tender and touching a book as ever was called sentimental by callous wretches... There have been plenty of louder and more insistent books this year, but few as sure and mellow as The Friendly Persuasion."
The novel was adapted into the 1956 movie Friendly Persuasion
Friendly Persuasion (film)
Friendly Persuasion is a 1956 Civil War film starring Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins, Richard Eyer, Robert Middleton and Phyllis Love. The screenplay was adapted by Michael Wilson from the 1945 novel The Friendly Persuasion by Jessamyn West, and was directed by William Wyler...
, starring Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
and directed by William Wyler
William Wyler
William Wyler was a leading American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter.Notable works included Ben-Hur , The Best Years of Our Lives , and Mrs. Miniver , all of which won Wyler Academy Awards for Best Director, and also won Best Picture...
. It was nominated for an Academy Award as "best picture."
To See the Dream, an autobiographical book, described her experiences as the movie's script writer.
Except for Me and Thee, the sequel to The Friendly Persuasion, was adapted into a 1975 television movie, titled Friendly Persuasion
Friendly Persuasion (film)
Friendly Persuasion is a 1956 Civil War film starring Gary Cooper, Dorothy McGuire, Anthony Perkins, Richard Eyer, Robert Middleton and Phyllis Love. The screenplay was adapted by Michael Wilson from the 1945 novel The Friendly Persuasion by Jessamyn West, and was directed by William Wyler...
, starring Richard Kiley.
In 2002 the city of Indianapolis selected The Friendly Persuasion as the One Book, One City
One City One Book
One City One Book is a generic name for a community reading program that attempts to get everyone in a city to read and discuss the same book. The name of the program is often reversed to One Book One City, or is customized to name the city where it occurs...
project for the year.
External links
- Jessamyn West at Encyclopaedia Britannica
- "Jessamyn West" by Ann Dahlstrom Farmer in the Western Writers Series Digital Editions at Boise State University
- 2 short radio episodes of West's writing from California Legacy ProjectCalifornia Legacy ProjectThe California Legacy Project began in 2000 as a project at Santa Clara University in Santa Clara, CA and later partnered with Heyday Books in Berkeley, CA. The project uses a research team of SCU interns to create radio scripts for the radio anthology "Your California Legacy" on KAZU 90.3 FM,...
. - Jessamyn West", Our Land, Our Literature
- Jessamyn West", enotes