Halper, Albert, 1904-1984

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Albert Halper (1904-1984), American author best known for his naturalistic short stories and novels, was born on Chicago's West Side, the fifth child of Jewish-Lithuanian immigrants.

After graduating from high school, Halper worked at a variety of jobs in a mail order house, electrotype foundry, loose-leaf binder factory, wholesale beauty parlor supply house, and the post office. His career as a writer began in 1928, when Marianne Moore accepted an essay and a short story for publication in The Dial magazine. Thus encouraged, Halper moved to New York City. He first came to national attention in 1933 with the publication of Union Square, a novel about the lives of several residents of the neighborhood adjacent to New York's Union Square. The novel's theme of social protest and its focus on working class characters led critics to deem him a proletarian novelist, although the left-wing press chided him for not being sufficiently revolutionary and Halper himself rejected this classification.

The success of Union Square was followed by the publication of a volume of short stories, On the Shore (1934), and four novels, The Foundry (1934), The Chute (1937), Sons of the Fathers (1940), and The Little People (1942), based on his experience of Jewish family life and labor in Chicago. A collection of related short stories, The Golden Watch (1953), drew on the same background. Halper's memoir of the Thirties, Good-Bye, Union Square, was published in 1970. A biography, Albert Halper by John E. Hart, appeared in 1980.

From the description of Albert Halper papers, 1909-1984, bulk (1933-1982). (New York Public Library). WorldCat record id: 144652107

Albert Halper (1904-1984), American author best known for his naturalistic short stories and novels, was born on Chicago's West Side, the fifth child of Jewish-Lithuanian immigrants. After graduating from high school, Halper worked at a variety of jobs in a mail order house, electrotype foundry, loose-leaf binder factory, wholesale beauty parlor supply house, and the post office. His career as a writer began in 1928, when Marianne Moore accepted an essay and a short story for publication in The Dial magazine. Thus encouraged, Halper moved to New York City. He first came to national attention in 1933 with the publication of Union Square, a novel about the lives of several residents of the neighborhood adjacent to New York's Union Square. The novel's theme of social protest and its focus on working class characters led critics to deem him a proletarian novelist, although the left-wing press chided him for not being sufficiently revolutionary and Halper himself rejected this classification.

The success of Union Square was followed by the publication of a volume of short stories, On the Shore (1934), and four novels, The Foundry (1934), The Chute (1937), Sons of the Fathers (1940), and The Little People (1942), based on his experience of Jewish family life and labor in Chicago. A collection of related short stories, The Golden Watch (1953), drew on the same background. Halper's memoir of the Thirties, Good-Bye, Union Square, was published in 1970. A biography, Albert Halper by John E. Hart, appeared in 1980.

From the guide to the Albert Halper papers, 1909-1984, 1933-1982, (The New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn New Yorker records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Albert Halper papers, 1909-1984, 1933-1982 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Halper, Albert, 1904-1984. Letter to Florence Lipkin. New York, NY. 1933 Apr. 18. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Halper, Albert, 1904-1984. Letter to Milton Monroe Reigelman. Pawling, NY. 1971 June 17. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn Yaddo records, 1870-1980 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Halper, Albert, 1904-1984. Letter to Florence Lipkin. New York, NY. 1933 Sep. 21. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn J. B. Matthews Papers, 1862-1986 and undated David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Esquire, Inc. Records, 1933-1977 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company correspondence and records, 1832-1944. Houghton Library
referencedIn Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966. Papers, 1681-1966 (bulk 1900-1960) Houghton Library
creatorOf Halper, Albert, 1904-1984. Albert Halper papers, 1909-1984, bulk (1933-1982). New York Public Library System, NYPL
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Algren, Nelson, 1909-1981. person
associatedWith Appel, Benjamin, 1907-1977. person
associatedWith Aswell, Edward C. (Edward Campbell), 1900-1958. person
associatedWith Best, Marshall person
associatedWith Best, Marshall. person
associatedWith Cohen, Elliot. person
associatedWith Ehrlich, Leonard, 1905- person
associatedWith Epstein, Joseph, 1937- person
associatedWith Esquire, Inc. corporateBody
associatedWith Fante, John, 1909- person
associatedWith Fante, John, 1909-1983. person
associatedWith Frederick, John T. (John Towner), 1893-1975. person
correspondedWith Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966 person
correspondedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Lieber, Maxim, 1897- person
associatedWith Lipkin, Florence, person
associatedWith Matthews, J. B. (Joseph Brown), 1894-1966 person
correspondedWith New Yorker Magazine, Inc corporateBody
associatedWith Nowell, Elizabeth. person
associatedWith Reigelman, Milton Monroe, 1942- , person
associatedWith Yaddo (Artist's colony) corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Chicago (Ill.)
Chicago (Ill.)
Subject
American literature
Jews
Jews in the United States
Working class in literature
Occupation
Authors
Activity

Person

Birth 1904

Death 1984-01-19

English

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