James Agee

Date of Birth: November 27, 1909

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: May 16, 1955

Biography

James Rufus Agee was an American novelist, journalist, poet, screenwriter, and film critic, widely acclaimed for his literary contributions during the early to mid-20th century. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Agee’s early life was marked by personal tragedy with the death of his father in a car accident when he was just six years old. This event profoundly influenced his writing, particularly his posthumous Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “A Death in the Family,” which vividly recounts the impact of such a loss on a young boy and his family. Agee attended Harvard University, where he edited the Harvard Advocate and honed his literary skills. After graduating, he worked as a journalist for Time and Fortune magazines, where he developed a reputation for his insightful and poetic prose. In collaboration with photographer Walker Evans, Agee produced “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men,” a groundbreaking work that documented the lives of impoverished tenant farmers during the Great Depression. Besides his novels and journalistic endeavors, Agee also made significant contributions to the film industry. He wrote screenplays for notable films such as “The African Queen” and “The Night of the Hunter.” Despite his success, Agee’s life was plagued by personal struggles, including alcoholism and health issues, leading to his untimely death at the age of 45.

5 Interesting Facts about James Agee

1. James Agee won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction posthumously in 1958 for his novel “A Death in the Family.”

2. His work “Let Us Now Praise Famous Men” was initially a commercial failure but later became a seminal work in American literature.

3. Agee wrote the screenplay for the classic film “The African Queen,” which starred Humphrey Bogart and Katharine Hepburn.

4. He was known for his intense and poetic style of writing, which often blurred the lines between journalism and literature.

5. Agee was a prolific film critic for Time magazine and later for The Nation, where he was known for his passionate and insightful reviews.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from James Agee

1. “In every child who is born, under no matter what circumstances, and of no matter what parents, the potentiality of the human race is born again.”

2. “How far we all come. How far we all come away from ourselves. You can never go home again.”

3. “Understanding is often a prelude to forgiveness, but not always.”

4. “The dead are not dead but alive.”

5. “The mere attempt to examine my own confusion would consume volumes.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

James Agee’s highest net worth is not well-documented, but his literary works and screenplays have left a lasting legacy that far exceeds monetary value.