James Purdy, whose dark, often savagely comic fiction evoked an American psychic landscape of deluded innocence, sexual obsession, violence and isolation, died on Friday in Englewood, N.J. He was 94 and lived in Brooklyn Heights.
Purdy was the author of numerous novels, the best known of which are Malcolm and The Nephew, as well as short stories and plays. His work was praised by such prominent literary figures as Dorothy Parker, Edith Sitwell, Gore Vidal, and Tennessee Williams. Nevertheless, he never enjoyed commercial success. For his part, Purdy disdained the literary establishment, opining that being well known was inversely related to a writer’s merit.
To be launched by Edith Sitwell, which Purdy was, is extraordinary enough….
Does anyone know where he lived?
cv
He was a great writer — he was original, innovative, and bold. He lived on Henry St.
bornhere
He lived in the “gaslight” house on the corner of Henry and Joralemon.
http://selfabsorbedboomer.blogspot.com Claude Scales
bornhere: My wife has long called that “Admiral Boom’s house” because of the naval-style mast and yardarm on the roof, just like on Admiral Boom’s roof in “Mary Poppins”.
bornhere
Claude- Love it! That’s way more colorful then “Pepe’s house” :)
Roger
Sadly, those gaslights don’t ever seem to be on anymore. The only ones that seem to be functioning these days are the ones on Poplar.
bornhere
Someone left a small bouquet of roses at the top of the steps today. There was something sad/lovely about it. Roger – I don’t know if you remember the original gaslights, but they were smaller and more “original” looking than the ones (that aren’t on anymore) now. There are gaslights on Joralemon (between Henry and Clinton) at the “new” brick house; if you like the house, you’ll like the lights. And Claude, it seems the mast is gone, too.
cv
I’m sure some of his books are at the Bklyn Heights library. Many are on Amazon. If anyone wants to read his words, it’s easy to do so. He had a voice like no one else — never mainstream, always daring — with much to say about the human condition. He was a quirky, interesting person; he said (in his books, and in person) exactly what was on his mind.
my play “Interviewing Mr. James Purdy” will open at The Starving Artist Theater in Ocean Grove,Nj in fall James DID NOT WANT any memorial service not his style! This is my goodbye to him/or hello
, whose dark, often savagely comic fiction evoked an American psychic landscape of deluded innocence, sexual obsession, violence and isolation, died on Friday in Englewood, N.J. He was 94 and lived in Brooklyn Heights.
