James Grover Thurber produced a diverse body of literature as a novelist, journalist, playwright, and cartoonist during a career spanning several decades in the United States. His professional trajectory began in Columbus, Ohio, and culminated in a significant contribution to the American literary canon, despite navigating profound health challenges that included the loss of his sight.
Early Development and Education
Born in Columbus in 1894, Thurber attended East High School before enrolling at Ohio State University in 1913. His time at the university, which lasted until 1918, proved foundational for his future as a writer. He contributed to campus publications, including the Ohio State Lantern and the Sundial, and established early professional relationships that influenced his later creative work.
Journalism and The New Yorker
After serving as a code clerk for the US State Department in Paris, Thurber returned to Columbus to report for the Columbus Dispatch. His transition to a wider audience occurred in 1927 when he joined the staff of The New Yorker. Alongside E. B. White, he co-authored Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do, a satirical examination of psychological literature that featured his own illustrations, marking the beginning of his tenure as a noted cartoonist for the publication.
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Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, Thurber produced numerous collections of prose and art. His collaborative efforts extended to the theater; he co-wrote The Male Animal with Elliott Nugent in 1938, which enjoyed a successful stage run and a subsequent film adaptation. By 1945, he achieved notable success with The Thurber Carnival, a work that mirrored the breadth of his creative output.
Health Challenges and Final Years
Thurber suffered an eye injury during his youth that ultimately led to blindness. Despite losing his sight, he continued writing, producing works such as Further Fables for Our Time during the McCarthy era. Following a period of health instability in the early 1950s, he participated in a stage version of The Thurber Carnival in 1959. He passed away in New York City in 1961 and is interred at Green Lawn Cemetery.
Fast facts
- Born: 1894, Columbus, United States
- Died: 1961, New York City
- Education: East High School; Ohio State University (1913-1918)
- Notable Works: My Life and Hard Times; My World and Welcome to It; The Last Flower
- Occupations: Writer, cartoonist, playwright, journalist
- Burial Site: Green Lawn Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was James Thurber's primary profession?
He was a multifaceted contributor to American media, working as a writer, cartoonist, journalist, playwright, novelist, and humorist.
Did Thurber graduate from Ohio State University?
No, he attended the university from 1913 to 1918 but left before completing his degree.
How did Thurber's health impact his career?
Having lost one eye as a child, he became almost completely blind by the early 1940s, yet he remained a productive writer and cartoonist for several years thereafter.
Achievements
- Notable work: My World and Welcome to It
- Notable work: The Last Flower
- Notable work: My Life and Hard Times
- Notable work: Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do
