biography
| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1879–1951)
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| biography:
| Educator, novelist, and musician, born in New York City, USA. As a youth he showed serious talent as a pianist, but after studying at Columbia University (1903) he became a professor of English. Most of his academic career was at Columbia (1909–37), where his emphasis on studying the classic texts gave rise to the ‘great books’ programmes adopted by many educational institutions. As a literary scholar, his editions (1915–22) introduced Lafcadio Hearn's writings to the West and he co-edited the Cambridge History of American Literature (1917–21). Another reputation was launched with The Private Life of Helen of Troy (1925), the first of his satirical novels treating legendary individuals in modern settings. He kept up his interest in music, giving occasional public concerts, and he was active in the new Juilliard School, New York City, serving as its president (1928–37). |
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