Paul Bowles - Music Composer, Family and Childhood
Paul Bowles's Personal Details
Paul Bowles was an American writer, music composer, poet, translator and novelist
| Information | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birthday | December 30, 1910 |
| Died on | November 18, 1999 |
| Nationality | American |
| Famous | University Of Virginia, Musicians, Composers, Writers, Poets, Music Composer |
| Spouses | Jane Bowles |
| Known as | Paul Frederic Bowles, Bowles, Paul |
| Universities |
|
| Notable Alumnis |
|
| Birth Place | Jamaica |
| Gender | Male |
| Father | Claude Dietz Bowles |
| Mother | Rena Winnewisser |
| Sun Sign | Capricorn |
| Born in | Jamaica |
| Famous as | Writer, Music Composer |
| Died at Age | 88 |
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Paul Bowles's photo
Who is Paul Bowles?
Paul Bowles was an American writer, music composer, poet, translator and novelist who produced a staggering body of work in a career that spanned over many decades. He was born in New York and had a comfortable childhood; however Bowles’ relationship with his father soured over time due to his father’s overbearing nature. He started reading at the age of three and by the following year, he had also started writing stories. When he was only 17 years old, he had his first break as a writer when a French magazine published one of his poems. In addition to writing, he was also drawn to music owing to the music collection that his father possessed and started learning music seriously. He studied at the University of Virginia but quit midway and moved to Paris in order to carry on his artistic pursuits. After a while he returned to New York and composed music for some of the best known names in the industry before going back to being a writer. He spent a large part of his life in Tangier, Morocco and wrote some of his best known novels while he was a resident in the African country.
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Childhood & Early Life
Paul Bowles was born on 30 December 1910, in New York City, to Claude Dietz Bowles and his wife Rena. His father was a dentist and as such he had a comfortable childhood. However, his father was a dominating character and he shared a strained relationship with him.
He started writing stories at the age of four and before long he had also started writing poems which were surreal in nature. At the same time, he started taking an interest in music and that was abetted by his father’s collection of records. At the age of 17, he got his first break when a poem titled ‘Spire Song’ was published in the French publication named ‘Transition’.
In 1928, he enrolled in the University of Virginia but he discontinued his education and in April 1929, he went off to Paris, where he worked for the newspaper Paris Herald Tribune. In July 1929, he returned to New York and started working for Duttons Bookshop l in New York.
Upon repeated requests from his parents, he went back the University of Virginia but dropped out after a semester and went off to Paris with Aaron Copland, the noted American composer and writer, with whom he had been studying composition in New York.
Career
In 1931, he produced his first composition titled ‘Sonata for Oboe and Clarinet’. In Paris, he befriended literary figures like Gertrude Stein and travelled to Tangiers and Berlin where he became acquainted with writers as well.
In 1937, he came back to New York and quickly emerged as one of the most popular music composers of his time. Over a period of the next 10 years or so, he collaborated with some of the leading artists of the era, such as, Orson Welles and Tennessee Williams. He worked as a composer for orchestra as well as for stage productions. During this period, he was employed as a music critic at the New York Herald Tribune.
In 1943, an opera created by him, titled ‘Wind Remains’ was performed. In the same year, he translated Jean-Paul Sartre’s ‘Huis Clos’ and the resultant play became a popular one that won plenty of accolades. Two years later, he wrote the short story ‘A Distant Episode’ that saw him going back to prose again.
Bowles was given an advance by publishers Doubleday for a novel and he used that money to move to Tangier, Morocco in 1947. The novel named ‘The Sheltering Sky’, set in North Africa, was published two years later and became an instant hit.
In 1950, he published a short story collection titled ‘A Littler Stone’ and his second novel ‘Let it Come Down’ was published two years later. His other work during the period include: ‘The Spider’s House’ (1955).
After Morocco became independent, he got a grant from the US Library of Congress and the Rockefeller Foundation that allowed him to travel the country and learn more about the country’s music. For two years starting in 1959, he recorded a collection of Moroccan folk music and also translated the works of noted Moroccan writers.
In 1968, he was appointed as a visiting scholar at the California State University, where he taught ‘Advanced Narrative Writing and the Modern European Novel’. Two years later, he established the Tangier based literary publication Antaues and during the twenty four years for which it was published, it provided a platform to new authors.
The latter part of his life, following the death of his wife, was spent in writing and translating works of other authors.
Major Works
Among his staggering body of work in music and literature that was produced over a period of several decades, his first novel ‘The Sheltering Sky’ is regarded as his most important work. The book figured in the New York Times’ Best Seller list.
Personal Life & Legacy
Paul Bowles got married to author Jane Auer in 1938. The couple did not have any children and according to most accounts, both of them were in relationships with individuals of the same sex.
He died due to heart failure on 18 November 1999, in Tangier, Morocco, at the age of 88.
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Paul Bowles's awards
| Year | Name | Award |
|---|---|---|
Other | ||
| 0 | 1941 - Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts | |
| 0 | US & Canada | |
| 0 | 1991 -Rea Award for the Short Story | |
Paul Bowles biography timelines
- // 30th Dec 1910Paul Bowles was born on 30 December 1910, in New York City, to Claude Dietz Bowles and his wife Rena. His father was a dentist and as such he had a comfortable childhood. However, his father was a dominating character and he shared a strained relationship with him.
- // 1928In 1928, he enrolled in the University of Virginia but he discontinued his education and in April 1929, he went off to Paris, where he worked for the newspaper Paris Herald Tribune. In July 1929, he returned to New York and started working for Duttons Bookshop l in New York.
- // 1931In 1931, he produced his first composition titled ‘Sonata for Oboe and Clarinet’. In Paris, he befriended literary figures like Gertrude Stein and travelled to Tangiers and Berlin where he became acquainted with writers as well.
- // 1937In 1937, he came back to New York and quickly emerged as one of the most popular music composers of his time. Over a period of the next 10 years or so, he collaborated with some of the leading artists of the era, such as, Orson Welles and Tennessee Williams. He worked as a composer for orchestra as well as for stage productions. During this period, he was employed as a music critic at the New York Herald Tribune.
- // 1938Paul Bowles got married to author Jane Auer in 1938. The couple did not have any children and according to most accounts, both of them were in relationships with individuals of the same sex.
- // 1943In 1943, an opera created by him, titled ‘Wind Remains’ was performed. In the same year, he translated Jean-Paul Sartre’s ‘Huis Clos’ and the resultant play became a popular one that won plenty of accolades. Two years later, he wrote the short story ‘A Distant Episode’ that saw him going back to prose again.
- // 1947Bowles was given an advance by publishers Doubleday for a novel and he used that money to move to Tangier, Morocco in 1947. The novel named ‘The Sheltering Sky’, set in North Africa, was published two years later and became an instant hit.
- // 1950 To 1955In 1950, he published a short story collection titled ‘A Littler Stone’ and his second novel ‘Let it Come Down’ was published two years later. His other work during the period include: ‘The Spider’s House’ (1955).
- // 1959After Morocco became independent, he got a grant from the US Library of Congress and the Rockefeller Foundation that allowed him to travel the country and learn more about the country’s music. For two years starting in 1959, he recorded a collection of Moroccan folk music and also translated the works of noted Moroccan writers.
- // 1968In 1968, he was appointed as a visiting scholar at the California State University, where he taught ‘Advanced Narrative Writing and the Modern European Novel’. Two years later, he established the Tangier based literary publication Antaues and during the twenty four years for which it was published, it provided a platform to new authors.
- // 18th Nov 1999He died due to heart failure on 18 November 1999, in Tangier, Morocco, at the age of 88.
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Paul Bowles's FAQ
What is Paul Bowles birthday?
Paul Bowles was born at 1910-12-30
When was Paul Bowles died?
Paul Bowles was died at 1999-11-18
Where was Paul Bowles died?
Paul Bowles was died in Tangier
Which age was Paul Bowles died?
Paul Bowles was died at age 88
Where is Paul Bowles's birth place?
Paul Bowles was born in Jamaica
What is Paul Bowles nationalities?
Paul Bowles's nationalities is American
Who is Paul Bowles spouses?
Paul Bowles's spouses is Jane Bowles
What was Paul Bowles universities?
Paul Bowles studied at University Of Virginia, 1930 - University of Virginia
What was Paul Bowles notable alumnis?
Paul Bowles's notable alumnis is University Of Virginia
Who is Paul Bowles's father?
Paul Bowles's father is Claude Dietz Bowles
Who is Paul Bowles's mother?
Paul Bowles's mother is Rena Winnewisser
What is Paul Bowles's sun sign?
Paul Bowles is Capricorn
How famous is Paul Bowles?
Paul Bowles is famouse as Writer, Music Composer