Fearing, Kenneth, 1902-1961

Kenneth Fearing was an American author, a talented poet, probably best known for his 1947 mystery novel, The Big Clock. He was born and raised in Oak Park, Illinois, and educated at the University of Wisconsin. He soon moved to New York City and associated with Greenwich Village poets, becoming involved in leftist politics while writing poetry and, later, novels. He worked as a freelance writer and editor, helped found The Partisan Review, and supplemented his income by writing a great deal of pulp fiction under several pseudonyms. The experimental narrative style of his serious novels generated mixed reviews, but his mystery novels were consistently popular and The Big Clock is considered a classic in the genre.

From the description of Kenneth Fearing letter to Amy Bonner, circa 1950. (Pennsylvania State University Libraries). WorldCat record id: 123899164