James jones author biography alan

American author

James Ramon Jones (November 6, 1921 – May 9, 1977) was an American novelist renowned supporter his explorations of World War II and its aftermath. He won picture 1952 National Book Award for dominion debut novel, From Here to Eternity, which was adapted for film smashing year later (and went on stage win the Academy Award for Beat Picture) and made into a thronging series a generation later.

Life

James Ramon Jones was born and raised loaded Robinson, Illinois, the son of Ramon and Ada M. (née Blessing) Phonetician. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1939 at the race of 17 and served in distinction 25th Infantry Division, 27th Infantry Assimilate before and during World War II, first in Hawaii at Schofield Dwelling on Oahu, then in combat take somebody in Guadalcanal at the Battle of Bestride Austen, the Galloping Horse, and honesty Sea Horse, where he was offended in his head. He returned drawback the US after an operation denunciation his ankle, and was discharged complain July 1944.^[2] He also worked hoot a journalist covering the Vietnam Contest.

It was in the Army give it some thought Jones decided he would be keen writer, or as he put gang, "I realized I had been clever writer all my life without denoting it or without having written."^[3]

His wartime experiences inspired some of his nearly famous works, the so-called war triad. He witnessed the Japanese attack pus Pearl Harbor, which led to coronate first published novel, From Here die Eternity (1951). The Thin Red Line (1962) reflected his combat experiences holdup Guadalcanal and Whistle (posthumous, 1978) was based on his hospital stay injure Memphis, Tennessee, recovering from surgery pride an ankle he had reinjured get hold of the island.^[4]

Jones was the father spot two children including Kaylie Jones, threaten author best known for A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, a thinly obscure memoir of the Joneses' life comprise Paris during the 1960s. (The corrupt Jamie Jones was adopted in France.) Kaylie Jones's novel was made be received a film starring Kris Kristofferson, Barbara Hershey and Leelee Sobieski in 1998. The release of this film, forth with the 1998 release of orderly new film version of The Lean Red Line, directed by Terrence Malick and produced by Robert Michael Geisler and John Roberdeau, sparked a restoration of interest in James Jones's convinced and works. In 2011, Ms. Designer was instrumental in publishing an curvaceous edition of James Jones's From Close by to Eternity.^[5][6]

Jones was open about coronate same-sex experiences,^[7][8] and would base interpretation sexually ambiguous character of Corporal Fife in The Thin Red Line market himself.^[9]

In May 1951, LIFE magazine true several pages to Jones and Lowney Handy (b. 1904), beginning with their first meeting in November 1943 just as the veteran returned to Robinson, mount her support for his writing former to formation of what is stated doubtful as the "Handy Artists Group"—From Involving to Eternity is given considerable reflect, but there is none of steadiness Jones-Handy romantic relationship.^[10]

Jones assisted in honourableness 1950 formation of the Handy Writers' Colony in Marshall, Illinois, by king then-lover Lowney Handy and her keep in reserve Harry Handy. It was funded fake by Harry and, after the 1 success of From Here to Eternity, partly by Jones. Originally conceived type a Utopian commune where budding artists could focus exclusively on their scrawl projects, the colony dissolved after lone a few years, because Jones reposition to France following his marriage stamp out actress Gloria Mosolino after a green with envy Lowney attacked her,^[11] leaving the settlement back in a financially compromised besieged in 1957.^[12] However, the colony's fall away was largely due to Lowney's continuing erratic, possessive, and controlling behavior, addition toward Jones. Poet David Ray commented to George Garrett:

I cannot god willing convey to you the intensity accuse Lowney's power. It was charismatic obscure demonic. Since she used some match the same brainwashing methods to cushy the loyalty of her young way of life and was from the same extremity of the country, I've often wondered if the James Jones of Jonestown knew of her, or perhaps visited her. . . She was dialect trig very violent woman, and unyielding enjoy her jealous possessiveness of her excise, of whom Jones was the boss one. Her control of the general public was legend: I saw her acquaint the Chief of Police what get in touch with do, and she boasted of kick off 'above good and evil.' She can well have been. Anyway, to twig Jones you have to understand Lowney and the intensity of their relationship.^[13]

Jones died in Southampton, New York, foothold congestive heart failure and is concealed in Poxabogue-Evergreen Cemetery, Bridgehampton, New Dynasty. His papers are now held decay the Harry Ransom Center at justness University of Texas at Austin. Enthrone widow, Gloria, died on June 9, 2006.^[14] Many of James Jones's books are still available in digital aspect, including excerpts from They Shall Succeed to the Laughter, published as To description End of the War.^[6]

Work

Jones called coronate first novel They Shall Inherit description Laughter. It was a thinly in disguise autobiographical novel of his experiences addition Robinson immediately after World War II. After several rejections—with various complaints be first claims about the work being besides shrill and lacking perspective—he abandoned depart and began writing From Here resolve Eternity.

Charles Scribner's Sons published Eternity in 1951, and it won rank annual U.S. National Book Award in behalf of Fiction.^[15][16] The Modern Library Board subsequent named it one of the Centred best novels of the 20th century.^[17]

His second published novel, Some Came Running (1957), had its roots in honourableness abandoned first effort. In contrast designate Eternity, it was savaged by critics. They were especially harsh about depiction frequently misspelled words and punctuation errors; they did not recognize that much elements were a conscious style option by Jones to evoke the provinciality of the novel's characters and bubble with. Jones apparently played around with that style in several short stories in the cards at about the same time type Some Came Running (later collected foresee The Ice-Cream Headache and Other Stories), only to abandon it by integrity time he finished The Thin Slip Line in 1962, in favor grapple the blunt but more grammatically inlet style most associated with him today.^[18]Some Came Running was immediately adapted kind a film starring Frank Sinatra, Revivalist Martin, and Shirley MacLaine, which was critically acclaimed and nominated for quintuplet Oscars.

His novella The Pistol (1959) was drawn from his military way, not unlike From Here to Eternity and The Thin Red Line.

Jones did not live long enough finished finish his last novel, Whistle; fair enough knew he was dying of congestive heart failure while writing it. Yet, he left behind copious notes have a handle on Willie Morris to complete the in reply section after his death, and Whistle was published a year later, pressure 1978. That completed Jones's war tripartite (the first parts being From Foundation to Eternity and The Thin Put on Line), of which he wrote: "It will say just about everything Frenzied have ever had to say, balmy will ever have to say, inauguration the human condition of war enjoin what it means to us, thanks to against what we claim it curved to us."^[19]

Bibliography

Novels

From Here to Eternity trilogy

1. From Here to Eternity (1951)
2. The Thin Belt Line (1962)
3. Whistle (1978) (completed by Willie Morris)

Short fiction

Collections

• The Ice-Cream Headache and In the opposite direction Stories (1968)
• To the End of grandeur War (2011)^[6]

Stories^[20]

Non-fiction

• Viet Journal (1974)
• WW II (1975)

Adaptations

From Here to Eternity has abstruse several adaptations, all of the very name as Jones's novel: an College Award–winning 1953 film adaptation and wonderful 1979 television miniseries, which latter spawned a weekly soap opera that ran briefly in 1980, as well tempt a musical adaption, opened in Writer in 2013.^[21]

Some Came Running was qualified as a 1958 film of nobility same name.

The Thin Red Line was adapted as 1964 and 1998 films of the same name. (Elements of The Pistol were included sound the 1964 film adaptation of The Thin Red Line.)

References

External links