Edna Ferber

Date of Birth: August 15, 1885

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: April 16, 1968

Biography

Edna Ferber was an acclaimed American novelist, short story writer, and playwright. She was born on August 15, 1885, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and grew up in Appleton, Wisconsin. Ferber began her writing career as a journalist before transitioning to fiction. Her novels often featured strong female protagonists and addressed social issues, including racial and gender discrimination. Ferber’s most famous works include “So Big” (1924), which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, “Show Boat” (1926), which was later adapted into a highly successful musical, and “Giant” (1952), which was made into a Hollywood film starring Elizabeth Taylor, Rock Hudson, and James Dean. Throughout her career, Ferber was known for her sharp wit and keen observations of American life. She was a member of the Algonquin Round Table, a group of New York City writers, critics, and actors. Ferber passed away on April 16, 1968, in New York City, leaving behind a legacy of influential literary works.

5 Interesting Facts about Edna Ferber

1. Edna Ferber won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel “So Big” in 1924.

2. Her novel “Show Boat” was adapted into a successful musical by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II.

3. Ferber was a member of the Algonquin Round Table, a famous literary circle in New York City.

4. Her novel “Cimarron” (1930) was adapted into a film that won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1931.

5. Ferber never married and had no children, dedicating her life to her writing career instead.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Edna Ferber

1. “Life can’t ever really defeat a writer who is in love with writing, for life itself is a writer’s lover until death.”

2. “Only amateurs say that they write for their own amusement. Writing is not an amusing occupation. It is a combination of ditch-digging, mountain-climbing, treadmill, and childbirth.”

3. “A closed mind is a dying mind.”

4. “Perhaps too much of everything is as bad as too little.”

5. “Writers should be read but not seen. Rarely are they a winsome sight.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

At the height of her career, Edna Ferber’s net worth was estimated to be around $5 million, which would be significantly higher when adjusted for inflation today.