O. Henry Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 4 (1922) Winner
Irvin S. Cobb
アーヴィン・エス・コブ
Irvin S. Cobb
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1876-06-23 （Paducah, Kentucky, U.S.）
- Died
- 1944-03-11 （New York City, New York, U.S.） age 67
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Presbyterian (Protestant)
- Residence History
- Paducah, Kentucky (birthplace and childhood) → New York City (moved in 1904; lived there thereafter)
Career
- Occupations
- author, humorist, editor, columnist, war correspondent
- Active Years
- 1893-1944
- Affiliations
- Paducah Daily News, Louisville Evening Post, New York World, The Saturday Evening Post, Evening Sun
- Influenced
- H. P. Lovecraft
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William A. Cade's Academy | — | — | — | — | United States |
William A. Cade's Academy
Country:
United States
Left school around age 16 to begin work and start journalistic career
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Kentucky Writers' Hall of Fame induction | — | — | Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning | 受賞 |
Kentucky Writers' Hall of Fame induction
2017
Organization:
Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Paths of Glory
1915 war reportage / nonfictionA collection of impressions and reportage written at and near the front during World War I, emphasizing personalities and scenes from the conflict.
warheroismon-the-ground reportage
Old Judge Priest
1915 short stories / humorA collection of humorous short stories set in Kentucky, centered on the character Judge Priest and a cast of local eccentrics.
regionalismhumorcharacter studies
Adaptations
- [film] Judge Priest / John Ford (1934)
- [film] The Sun Shines Bright / John Ford (1953)
Fishhead
1913 horror / weird fictionA chilling short story about an isolated lake and a strange, tragic figure; cited as an influence on later horror writers.
fearisolationhuman and the monstrous
Red Likker
1929 novel (anti-Prohibition)An anti-Prohibition novel that satirizes temperance and defends drinking culture, particularly bourbon.
opposition to ProhibitionsatireAmerican drinking culture
Exit Laughing
1941 memoir / autobiographyA humorous memoir recounting episodes from Cobb's life, including childhood in Kentucky and his career in journalism.
memoirhumorjournalistic experience
Bibliography
- A Little Town Called Montignies St. Christophe – 1907 (story)
- Funabashi – 1907 (musical comedy)
- Talks with the Fat Chauffeur – 1909 (collection)
- Back Home: Being the Narrative of Judge Priest and His People – 1912 (collection)
- Paths of Glory – 1915
- Speaking of Operations – 1915
- Old Judge Priest – 1916
- Fishhead – 1913 (short story)
- The Glory of the Coming – 1919
- Red Likker – 1929
- Exit Laughing – 1941
Adaptations
- Judge Priest (film adaptation directed by John Ford, 1934)
- The Sun Shines Bright (based on Cobb's short stories; film directed by John Ford, 1953)
- Fields of Honor (1918 film)
- The Woman Accused (1933 film)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- regionalist depictionhumor and satireanecdotal narrativecolloquial, conversational prose
- Recurring Motifs
- Kentucky towns and charactersjudges and local customsalcohol (bourbon) and social lifewar experiences and soldiersthe monstrous / uncanny in short horror stories
Legacy
Irvin S. Cobb is known for his regional humorous fiction set in Kentucky, his wartime reportage, and odd/horror short stories. A prolific author across genres, several of his works were adapted for film and his writing influenced later writers (e.g. H. P. Lovecraft). Posthumous honors and namesakes (a Liberty ship, a passenger train) keep his name in popular memory.
Academic Societies
- Kentucky Writers' Hall of Fame
Archives
- Project Gutenberg (public domain works)
- Internet Archive (digital archive of works and materials)
- Find a Grave (burial/cremation memorial)
In Popular Culture
- SS Irvin S. Cobb (World War II Liberty ship named after him)
- Illinois Central Railroad passenger train 'Irvin S. Cobb' (named for his hometown connection)
- Caricature in the cartoon 'The Woods Are Full of Cuckoos' as 'Irvin S. Frog'
Quotes
-
“Above all I want no long faces and no show of grief at the burying ground...” — excerpt from Cobb's letter detailing his desired funeral arrangements
Source: Letter detailing funeral arrangements (1944)
Trivia
- John Ford adapted material from Cobb's Judge Priest stories into films (Judge Priest, 1934; The Sun Shines Bright, 1953).
- Hosted the 7th Academy Awards in 1935.
- Became the highest-paid staff reporter in the United States at the New York World.
- Wrote more than 300 short stories and over 60 books.
- Short stories like 'Fishhead' have been cited as influences on H. P. Lovecraft.