Peter De Vries
Peter De Vries | |
---|---|
Chicago, Illinois, US | |
Died | September 28, 1993 Norwalk, Connecticut, US | (aged 83)
Occupation |
|
Notable works | The Tunnel of Love (1954) The Blood of the Lamb (1961) |
Notable awards | American Academy of Arts and Letters (1983) |
Spouse |
Katinka Loeser (died 1991) |
Children | 4 |
Peter De Vries (February 27, 1910 – September 28, 1993) was an American editor and novelist known for his satiric wit.
Biography
De Vries was born in
He joined the staff of The New Yorker magazine at the insistence of James Thurber and worked there from 1944 to 1987, writing stories and touching up cartoon captions. A prolific writer, De Vries wrote short stories, reviews, poetry, essays, a play, novellas, and twenty-five novels. Films made from De Vries's novels include The Tunnel of Love (1958), which also was a successful Broadway play; How Do I Love Thee? (1970, based on Let Me Count the Ways); Pete 'n' Tillie (1972, based on Witch’s Milk); and Reuben, Reuben (1983), which also inspired a Broadway play, Spofford. Earlier, in 1952, De Vries also contributed to the writing of the Broadway revue New Faces of 1952. Although he enjoyed success for five decades, all his novels were out of print by the time of his death.
James Bratt describes De Vries as "a secular Jeremiah, a renegade CRC missionary to the smart set."[2]
Personal life
Peter De Vries met his future wife, poet and author Katinka Loeser, in 1943 when she won an award from Poetry magazine. The couple moved to
Katinka De Vries died in 1991.[6] Peter De Vries died at age 83 on September 28, 1993, in a Norwalk, Connecticut, hospital.[1] He, his wife, and daughter are buried in Willowbrook Cemetery, Westport, Conn.
Honors
De Vries received an honorary degree in 1979 from Susquehanna University. He was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters in May 1983.
Works
- But Who Wakes the Bugler? (1940)
- The Handsome Heart (1943)
- Angels Can't Do Better (1944)
- No But I Saw the Movie (1952)
- The Tunnel of Love (1954)
- Comfort Me with Apples (1956)
- The Mackerel Plaza (1958)
- The Tents of Wickedness (1959)
- Through the Fields of Clover (1961)
- The Blood of the Lamb (1961)
- Reuben, Reuben (1964)
- Let Me Count the Ways (1965)
- The Vale of Laughter (1967)
- The Cat's Pajamas & Witch's Milk (1968)
- Mrs. Wallop (1970)
- Into Your Tent I'll Creep (1971)
- Without a Stitch in Time (1972)
- Forever Panting (1973)
- The Glory of the Hummingbird (1974)
- I Hear America Swinging (1976)
- Madder Music (1977)
- Consenting Adults; or, The Duchess Will Be Furious (1980)
- Sauce for the Goose (1981)
- Slouching Towards Kalamazoo (1983)
- The Prick of Noon (1985)
- Peckham's Marbles (1986)
Short stories and humorous pieces
- De Vries, Peter (1 January 1949). "Open House". The New Yorker. Vol. 24, no. 45. pp. 40–43. Short story.
- De Vries, Peter (4 February 1950). "Jam Today". The New Yorker. Vol. 25, no. 50. pp. 34–35. Humorous piece about jazz snobs.
- De Vries, Peter (8 April 1950). "Intruder In The Dusk". The New Yorker. Vol. 25, no. 66. pp. 37–38. Short story in the style of William Faulkner.
References
- ^ a b Rosenheim, Andrew (October 4, 1993). "Obituary: Peter De Vries". The Independent. Archived from the original on 2022-05-25. Retrieved June 1, 2010.
- ISBN 9780802800091.
- ^ "The Return of Peter De Vries". Westport magazine. Moffly Media. April 2006. Archived from the original on 2014-03-21. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
- ISBN 978-0-316-20436-1.
- ^ "Obituary: Jan De Vries".
- ^ "Katinka Loeser obituary". The New York Times via website. 8 March 1991. Retrieved 10 August 2012.
External links
- Peter De Vries at IMDb
- "The Return of Peter De Vries" from Westport magazine