Elwyn Brooks White, born in 1899 in Mount Vernon, established a career as a writer, essayist, and journalist who significantly influenced American prose. Across six decades, his work in The New Yorker and his essential style guide, The Elements of Style, shaped the literary standards of his era, alongside his widely recognized contributions to children's literature.
Formative Years and Cornell University
The youngest of six children, White attended Mount Vernon High School before enrolling at Cornell University. During his time there, he became known as Andy, a tradition for students sharing a surname with the co-founder, Andrew Dickson White. He served as an editor for The Cornell Daily Sun and belonged to several organizations, including the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. In 1918, he briefly joined the Student Army Training Corps, though he did not serve in the active military following the end of World War I. He graduated in 1921 with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →New Yorker Tenure and Journalism
After early reporting roles for the United Press and The Seattle Times, White returned to New York City in 1924. By 1925, he began contributing to the newly founded New Yorker magazine. Hired as a staff writer in 1927, he remained a fixture at the publication for nearly sixty years. He provided witty, concise commentary, including the "Newsbreaks" segment, and served as a major voice for the magazine through his essays. Beyond his magazine work, he wrote for Harper's Magazine from 1938 to 1943 and co-authored Is Sex Necessary? with James Thurber in 1929.
Contributions to Literature and Style
White achieved distinction for both his instructional prose and his fiction. In 1959, he updated The Elements of Style, a grammar handbook by his former professor William Strunk Jr. This collaboration became a standard academic tool. His children's books, beginning with Stuart Little in 1945, followed by Charlotte's Web in 1952 and The Trumpet of the Swan in 1970, garnered significant acclaim. His work earned numerous honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963 and a special Pulitzer Prize in 1978 for his collective body of work.
Fast facts
- Born: 1899, Mount Vernon
- Died: 1985, Brooklin
- Education: Cornell University
- Key Children's Books: Stuart Little, Charlotte's Web, The Trumpet of the Swan
- Notable Style Guide: The Elements of Style
- Major Honor: Presidential Medal of Freedom (1963)
- Pulitzer Prize: Special Citations and Awards (1978)
- Burial Site: Brooklin Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was E. B. White's role at The New Yorker?
He was a staff writer and a primary contributor of essays and unsigned 'Notes and Comment' pieces for nearly sixty years.
Did E. B. White write The Elements of Style alone?
No, he updated and edited the handbook originally written by his Cornell professor William Strunk Jr.
What notable awards did he receive for his writing?
He was awarded a special Pulitzer Prize in 1978 and the Children's Literature Legacy Award in 1970.
Achievements
- PEN New England Award
- Pulitzer Prize Special Citations and Awards — 1978
- Presidential Medal of Freedom — 1963
- Notable work: The Elements of Style
- Notable work: Stuart Little
- Notable work: Charlotte's Web
- Notable work: Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do
