Carson McCullers - Novelists, Timeline and Family
Carson McCullers's Personal Details
Carson McCullers was a writer and novelist best known for her work ‘The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter’
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | February 19, 1917 |
| Died on | September 29, 1967 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | Columbia University, Juilliard School, New York University, Writers, Poets, Novelists, Short Story Writers, Novelists |
| City/State | Georgia |
| Spouses | Reeves McCullers |
| Siblings | Margarita G. Smith |
| Universities |
|
| Notable Alumnis |
|
| Birth Place | Columbus, Georgia, USA |
| Gender | Female |
| Father | Lamar Smith |
| Mother | Marguerite Waters Smith |
| Sun Sign | Aquarius |
| Born in | Columbus, Georgia, USA |
| Famous as | American novelist |
| Died at Age | 50 |
// Famous Novelists
William Makepeace Thackeray
William Thackeray was an English novelist and satirist. Read this brief biography to find more on his life & timeline.
Guy de Maupassant
Guy de Maupassant was an acclaimed French short story writer and novelist. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, career, achievements and timeline.
J. B. Priestley
J.B. Priestley was a famous English novelist, broadcaster and playwright. Go through this biography to learn more about his profile, childhood, life and timeline.
Carson McCullers's photo
Who is Carson McCullers?
Carson McCullers, the author of the celebrated piece of fiction ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’ was born as Lula Carson Smith. The author is notable for writing several novels, plays, and short stories which are known for their high literary standards. As a young girl, Lula wanted to become a musician and received piano lessons from the age of ten. She also had plans to enroll at the prestigious Juilliard School of Music in New York City. However a bout of rheumatic fever while she was a teenager forced her to rethink her career options. Her father bought her a typewriter and the youngster started writing stories to pass time during her recovery. She later attended creative writing classes and started writing seriously by the time she was in her late teens. Unfortunately, she was always plagued by health problems from an early age. Long periods of convalescence, however, proved to be the inspiration behind her writing—she began writing her first novel ‘The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter’ while she was recovering from a respiratory illness. The novel which explores the story of a deaf man was a literary sensation and a best seller. The book was also adapted into a film of the same name later on.
// Famous Writers
Joyce Meyer
Joyce Meyer is a Christian author and speaker. This biography provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline
Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin is a well-known American writer, autistic activist and animal expert. This biography profiles her childhood, life, achievements, career and timeline
Tennessee Williams
Tennessee Williams was one of the greatest playwrights of the 20th century. This biography of Tennessee Williams provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works and timeline.
Childhood & Early Life
She was born as the daughter of Lamar Smith, a watchmaker and jeweler, and his wife Vera Marguerite Waters.
As a little girl, She aspired to be a musician and her parents arranged for her to receive piano classes form the age of ten. She attended Columbus High School.
She traveled to New York City where she planned to study piano at the Julliard School of Music in 1934. However, she returned home and fell ill with rheumatic fever. The illness left her unable to pursue a career as a professional musician and she was forced to consider other professions.
She studied creative writing at night classes at Columbia University under the Texas writer Dorothy Scarborough.
Career
She began writing seriously by her late teens. Her first published work was an autobiographical piece called ‘Wunderkind’ which was about a musical prodigy’s painful life experiences. The story first appeared in the December 1936 issue of ‘Story’ magazine.
For two years from 1935 till 1937, she divided her time between Columbus and New York in order to work on her studies and writing. She also worked at several odd jobs to support herself.
She published her debut novel ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’ in 1940. The story revolved around a deaf man named John Singer and the various people he meets in a mill town. The novel was highly reviewed by critics and was also a huge commercial success.
The very next year, the novel ‘Reflections in a Golden Eye’ was released. The novel had first appeared in a serialized format in the October-November issues of the ‘Harper’s Bazaar’ in 1940. The book dealt with issues such as homosexuality, sadism and fetishism.
It took her five years to complete her next novel ‘The Member of the Wedding’ which was finally published in 1946. The plot revolved around the story of a 12 year old tomboy, Frankie Addams who feels disconnected from the world. The novel explores the psychology of the three main characters.
The theatrical adaptation of the novel ‘The Member of the Wedding’ opened on Broadway in 1950. The play was hugely popular and ran for 501 performances. This adaptation was a critical and well as commercial success.
One of her most famous works, ‘The Ballad of the Sad Caf�’, a collection of short stories was out in 1951. It included a novella of the same name which was about a strong headed woman named Amelia Evans. Love, isolation, loneliness and gender roles form the basis of this novel.
She always suffered from poor health and her health declined steadily during her later years affecting the quality of her literary output as well. Her second play, ‘The Square Root of Wonderful’ did not do well and closed after just 45 performances on the Broadway in 1957. Her final novel, ‘Clock Without Hands’ (1961) was also not much successful.
Major Works
Her debut novel, ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’ based on the story of a deaf man is considered a literary sensation. It was one of her works in which she represented the voice of the rejected, forgotten and oppressed. The novel was ranked among the list of the 100 best English language novels of the 20th century.
Awards & Achievements
Her play ‘The Member of the Wedding’ won the 1950 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for best American play of the season. It also won the Donaldson Award fro best play, and best first play by an author.
Personal Life & Legacy
She married an aspiring writer Reeves McCullers in 1937. The couple separated in 1940 and divorced in 1941. Carson and Reeves remarried in 1945.
She once attempted suicide when she was depressed. Some years later her husband convinced her to attempt suicide with him. But she fled while Reeves committed suicide.
She suffered from health problems throughout her life. She was partially paralyzed by the age of 31. She died of a brain hemorrhage in 1967.
// Famous Columbia University
Helen Morris
Helen Morris is a former book editor, TV producer and the wife of Academy Award winning director Martin Scorsese. Check out this biography to know about her birthday, childhood, family life, achievements and fun facts about her.
Simon Kuznets
Simon Kuznets was a noted Russian-American economist, statistician, demographer, and economic historian. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life, achievements and other facts related to his life.
Anna Paquin
Anna Paquin is a Kiwi film, theatre and television actress known for her roles in movies like ‘The Piano’, ‘Fly Away Home’, and ‘X-Men. This biography provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Carson McCullers biography timelines
- // 19th Feb 1917She was born as the daughter of Lamar Smith, a watchmaker and jeweler, and his wife Vera Marguerite Waters.
- // 1934She traveled to New York City where she planned to study piano at the Julliard School of Music in 1934. However, she returned home and fell ill with rheumatic fever. The illness left her unable to pursue a career as a professional musician and she was forced to consider other professions.
- // 1935 To 1937For two years from 1935 till 1937, she divided her time between Columbus and New York in order to work on her studies and writing. She also worked at several odd jobs to support herself.
- // 1936She began writing seriously by her late teens. Her first published work was an autobiographical piece called ‘Wunderkind’ which was about a musical prodigy’s painful life experiences. The story first appeared in the December 1936 issue of ‘Story’ magazine.
- // 1937She married an aspiring writer Reeves McCullers in 1937. The couple separated in 1940 and divorced in 1941. Carson and Reeves remarried in 1945.
- // 1940She published her debut novel ‘The Heart is a Lonely Hunter’ in 1940. The story revolved around a deaf man named John Singer and the various people he meets in a mill town. The novel was highly reviewed by critics and was also a huge commercial success.
- // 1946It took her five years to complete her next novel ‘The Member of the Wedding’ which was finally published in 1946. The plot revolved around the story of a 12 year old tomboy, Frankie Addams who feels disconnected from the world. The novel explores the psychology of the three main characters.
- // 1950The theatrical adaptation of the novel ‘The Member of the Wedding’ opened on Broadway in 1950. The play was hugely popular and ran for 501 performances. This adaptation was a critical and well as commercial success.
- // 1950Her play ‘The Member of the Wedding’ won the 1950 New York Drama Critics Circle Award for best American play of the season. It also won the Donaldson Award fro best play, and best first play by an author.
- // 1951One of her most famous works, ‘The Ballad of the Sad Caf�’, a collection of short stories was out in 1951. It included a novella of the same name which was about a strong headed woman named Amelia Evans. Love, isolation, loneliness and gender roles form the basis of this novel.
- // 29th Sep 1967She suffered from health problems throughout her life. She was partially paralyzed by the age of 31. She died of a brain hemorrhage in 1967.
// Famous Novelists
Charles Bukowski
Charles Bukowski was a German-born American novelist, short story writer and poet. With this biography, learn in details about his childhood, life, works, career and timeline
Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera is a Czech-born French writer known for his erotic and political writings. This biography of Milan Kundera provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Simone de Beauvoir
Simone de Beauvoir was an eminent French writer, intellectual, activist, and philosopher. This biography profiles her childhood, life, thoughts, achievements and timeline.
Sandra Cisneros
Sandra Cisneros is an American writer known for audaciously penning the realities and expectations from females in US and Mexico. This biography provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood is a Canadian writer, best known for her novels, short stories and poems. This biography of Margaret Atwood provides detailed information about her childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Neil Gaiman
Neil Gaiman is an English writer of novels, short stories, children’s books and other literature. This biography provides detailed information about his childhood, life, achievements, works & timeline.
Carson McCullers's FAQ
What is Carson McCullers birthday?
Carson McCullers was born at 1917-02-19
When was Carson McCullers died?
Carson McCullers was died at 1967-09-29
Where was Carson McCullers died?
Carson McCullers was died in Nyack
Which age was Carson McCullers died?
Carson McCullers was died at age 50
Where is Carson McCullers's birth place?
Carson McCullers was born in Columbus, Georgia, USA
What is Carson McCullers nationalities?
Carson McCullers's nationalities is American
Who is Carson McCullers spouses?
Carson McCullers's spouses is Reeves McCullers
Who is Carson McCullers siblings?
Carson McCullers's siblings is Margarita G. Smith
What was Carson McCullers universities?
Carson McCullers studied at Columbia University,Juilliard School,New York University, Columbus High School, Juilliard School, Columbia University, New York University
What was Carson McCullers notable alumnis?
Carson McCullers's notable alumnis is Columbia University, Juilliard School, New York University
Who is Carson McCullers's father?
Carson McCullers's father is Lamar Smith
Who is Carson McCullers's mother?
Carson McCullers's mother is Marguerite Waters Smith
What is Carson McCullers's sun sign?
Carson McCullers is Aquarius
How famous is Carson McCullers?
Carson McCullers is famouse as American novelist