Jack Boone (writer)

Jack Happel Boone (1903–1966)[1] was an American writer. He won the O. Henry Award for his short story, Big Singing, in 1932. His only novel was Dossie Bell is Dead, published in 1939.

Biography

Boone was born in Trenton, Tennessee, to Elbert Franklin and Martha Ford Boone.[2] He and his family moved to Henderson, Tennessee.[2] After graduating from high school in Henderson, he continued his academic training at Vanderbilt University, where he earned B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees.[2] His primary career was teaching writing on the collegiate level, at Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, the University of Iowa, Mississippi State University, Howard College in Birmingham, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.[2]

After retiring to Henderson, Tennessee, Boone focused on his writing.[2] He wrote many short stories, and won the O. Henry Award for short story writing for Big Singing, published in Household Magazine in 1932.[3][4]

Boone's first and only published novel was Dossie Bell Is Dead (1939).[2][3] A review in The News and Observer (Raleigh, North Carolina) praised its "strong plot" and "strong characterizations."[3] Another in the The Courier-Journal (Louisville, Kentucky) wrote that "its author writes so well, creating suspense by little touches as he reveals his characters, that no one who begins his book will want to put it down."[5]

Many of Boone's papers were donated to the archives of Freed-Hardeman University, a private Christian school located in his hometown of Henderson.

References
  1. "Giants of West Tennessee: Jack Boone". Alex Bledsoe: Author.
  2. "Henderson Author, Jack H. Boone Services Today". Jackson Sun. 1966-04-24.
  3. Baughan, Denver E. (1939-04-02). "Close-knit drama". The News and Observer. p. 22. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  4. "The O. Henry Prize Stories". Random House. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
  5. Milner, Rosamond (1939-04-01). "Jack Boone's first novel". The Courier-Journal. p. 40. Retrieved 2020-07-09.
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