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James Gould CozzensAmerican writer
Date of Birth: 19.08.1903
Country: ![]() |
Biography of James Gould Cozzens
James Gould Cozzens was an American writer and Pulitzer Prize laureate. He is often mentioned alongside his contemporaries John O'Hara and John P. Marquand, but Cozzens is considered the most "complex" of the trio. While he quickly won the hearts of critics, capturing the interest of readers proved to be more challenging.
Cozzens was born in Chicago, Illinois, and grew up on Staten Island. His father, Henry William Cozzens Jr., a talented businessman and the grandson of the governor of Rhode Island, passed away when James was just 17 years old. His privileged and wealthy childhood environment had a significant influence on his later work.
After graduating from high school in 1922, Cozzens attended Harvard University but only stayed for two years. In 1924, he published his first novel, "Confusion," but had to leave university soon after due to health and financial issues. Cozzens moved to New Brunswick, where he wrote his second novel, "Michael Scarlett." However, neither "Confusion" nor "Michael Scarlett" captured readers' attention, and Cozzens had to relocate to Cuba, where he taught American children.
It was in Cuba that Cozzens began writing stories and collecting materials for his future works, including "Cock Pit" and "The Son of Perdition." After a year, he moved to Europe with his mother, where he earned a living by teaching a young polio-stricken boy how to make money.
Cozzens met his literary agent, Sylvia Bernice Baumgarten, of the "Brandt & Kirkpatrick" company, and they got married on December 27, 1927. They were an unlikely couple, as Baumgarten was Jewish and a liberal democrat. However, their marriage was only ended by Sylvia's death. The majority of their married life was spent near Lambertville, New Jersey, where they lived quietly and avoided social interactions.
During World War II, Cozzens served in the United States Air Force. He initially worked on creating and updating instructions before joining the Office of Information Services, where he acted as a mediator between the military and civilian press, including censorship duties. Cozzens found this work inspiring, and in 1948, he wrote the novel "Guard of Honor," which won him the Pulitzer Prize.
In 1957, Cozzens published the novel "By Love Possessed," which unexpectedly became a hit. It remained on "The New York Times" bestseller list for 34 weeks, reaching the number one spot just three weeks after its release. The book was later adapted into a film starring Lana Turner.
In 1958, the Cozzens relocated to Williamstown, Massachusetts. In 1975, they moved again, this time to Martin County, Florida, where they lived in relative obscurity. Sylvia passed away on January 30, 1978, and James died from pneumonia on August 9, 1978.