Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 15 (1936) Nominee
Phil Stong
フィル・ストング
Firu Sutongu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1899-01-27 （Pittsburg, Van Buren County, Iowa (near Keosauqua)）
- Died
- 1957-04-26 （Washington, Connecticut） age 58
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Pittsburg, Van Buren County / near Keosauqua, Iowa → Des Moines, Iowa → Washington, Connecticut
Career
- Occupations
- Author, Journalist, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 1920-1957
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drake University | — | — | — | — | United States |
Drake University
Country:
United States
Attended Drake University in Des Moines
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1936 | Newbery Honor | Honk, the Moose | — | American Library Association | Honor |
Newbery Honor
1936
Work:
Honk, the Moose
Organization:
American Library Association
Result:
Honor
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
State Fair
1932 Novel (regional)A family and community story set around a Midwestern state fair, depicting rural life and interpersonal relationships in the 1930s.
Rural lifeFamilyMidwest
Adaptations
- [Film] State Fair (1933) (1933)
- [Film] State Fair (1945) (1945)
- [Film] State Fair (1962) (1962)
- [Film] State Fair (1976) (1976)
- [Stage (Broadway musical)] State Fair (musical, 1996) (1996)
Honk, the Moose
1935 Children's literatureA warm children's story about a small North American town and its interactions with a moose.
FriendshipCommunityAnimals
The Other Worlds: 25 Modern Stories of Mystery and Imagination (editor)
1941 Edited anthology (SF/horror/fantasy) 466 pagesAn anthology compiling short stories from 1930s pulp magazines; considered a notable early collection of science fiction and horror.
Science fictionHorrorFantasy
Stranger's Return
1933 NovelA novel focused on a returning individual, dealing with readjustment and relationships; adapted into a motion picture.
HomecomingRelationships
Adaptations
- [Film] The Stranger's Return (film) (1933)
Marta of Muscovy
1945 NovelA novel set with interwar and WWII background; issued as an Armed Services Edition during WWII.
HistoryHuman drama
Bibliography
- State Fair (1932)
- Stranger's Return (1933)
- Farm Boy: A Hunt for Indian Treasure (1934)
- Honk, the Moose (1935)
- The Other Worlds (editor, 1941)
- Marta of Muscovy (1945)
Adaptations
- State Fair (multiple film adaptations and a Broadway musical)
- Stranger's Return (film adaptation)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Realist style with Midwestern regional flavorBlend of humor and keen observation of human nature
- Recurring Motifs
- Fairs and rural settingsFamily and communityAnimals
Health
-
Heart attack1957Died of a heart attack at home in 1957
Legacy
Best known for State Fair; recognized for vivid regional portrayals, numerous short stories, and editing an influential anthology. Also made contributions to children's literature and early science fiction anthologies.
Archives
- University of Iowa Special Collections & Archives (Phil Stong papers)
- Library of Congress (catalog records)
In Popular Culture
- State Fair was adapted into films in 1933, 1945, 1962 and 1976, and into a Broadway musical in 1996.
Quotes
-
Fell while trying to clamber out of a low bathtub at the age of two. Became a writer. No other possible career.
Source: Anecdotal remark (source of quote) -
I've never gone deeply enough into any of the various definitions of 'humanism'... they remind me of the blind men and the elephant and that I'd better have a glass of beer and get to bed.
Source: Comment on humanism, 1951 (interview/essay) (1951)
Trivia
- According to James Thurber, Stong's spaniel was named Thurber.
- His edited anthology The Other Worlds is regarded as an early science-fiction anthology.
- Honk, the Moose was named a Newbery Honor book.