John dos Passos

Profession: Novelist

Nationality:

Biography: John Dos Passos was an American writer known for his social and political commentary, as well as his innovative narrative style. His experiences during World War I and his shifting political views influenced his writing, including his renowned U.S.A. trilogy.

Born the son of a lawyer, Dos Passos received an extensive education and graduated from Harvard, where he befriended E.E. Cummings.

He served as an ambulance driver during World War I, an experience that influenced his early novels, such as One Man's Initiation: 1917 (1920). Dos Passos emerged as a significant literary figure with Manhattan Transfer (1925).

His U.S.A. trilogy includes The 42nd Parallel (1930), 1919 (1932), and The Big Money (1936). This series employed experimental techniques and was a critical success.

Dos Passos's political journey began with socialist and pacifist leanings, evolved through his disillusionment during the Spanish Civil War, and culminated in conservative beliefs in the latter part of his life.

The relationship with Ernest Hemingway, initially characterized by friendship, deteriorated due to ideological differences exacerbated by the Spanish Civil War.

Outside of writing, Dos Passos was involved in the visual arts, creating cover art for his books and painting. He continued to write and engage in political commentary until his death in Baltimore in 1970. His estate Spence's Point was later named a National Historic Landmark.

Dos Passos's legacy is preserved through the John Dos Passos Prize and his influence on writers like Jean-Paul Sartre.

Born: January 14, 1896
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, USA

Generation: Lost Generation
Star Sign: Capricorn

Died: September 28, 1970 (aged 74)