Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977

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American author, editor, and journalist.

From the description of Typed letters signed (3) : New York World-Telegram, New York, to Edward Wagenknecht, 1936 Jan. 14, 1946 Oct. 3, and 1948 July 16. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270868099

Writer, literary critic, and editor.

From the description of Papers, 1914-1976. (University of Chicago Library). WorldCat record id: 52248177

Author and editor; d. 1977.

From the description of Papers, 1926-1978. (University of Iowa Libraries). WorldCat record id: 28410226

Writer, editor, and literary critic at the Chicago Daily News, author of several historical books.

Harry Hansen was born in Davenport, Iowa on December 26, 1884. After graduating from high school in Iowa, he became telegraph editor and writer for the Davenport Republican. Hansen came to Chicago to study English at the University of Chicago and was awarded a Ph. D. in 1909. In 1911 he was hired by the Chicago Daily News and in 1914 was sent overseas to cover World War I in Europe, eventually taking over the foreign desk in Chicago when the United States entered the conflict. In 1920 he became literary editor of the Daily News and remained with the paper until joining the New York World in 1926 as "First Reader." At the World he made the book review column a daily feature and continued as book editor after the newspaper's merger with the New York Telegram. He also contributed literary criticism to the Chicago Tribune, Harper's Magazine, and Redbook, and from 1933 to 1940 edited the O. Henry Prize Stories. He lectured widely, and had book review radio programs in both Chicago and New York. His book commentary was syndicated in magazines across the country. He also wrote several historical books including The Adventures of the Fourteen Points, Midwest Portraits, Carl Sandburg: The Man and his Poetry, and one novel, Your Life Lies Before You. Hansen married Ruth McLernon in 1914 and had two daughters, Ruth Eleanor and Marian. He died as a result of a stroke on January 3, 1977.

From the description of Harry Hansen papers 1900-1970. (Newberry Library). WorldCat record id: 213408241

Harry Hansen was born in Davenport, Iowa, December 26, 1884. After graduating from high school, he became telegraph editor for the Davenport Republican. While his Papers contain few documents from this period, letters from numerous Davenport correspondents, Hansen’s return for speeches, and occasional writing for the Iowa State Historical Society bulletin show his continuing interest in the city of his birth.

Hansen came to Chicago to study English at the University of Chicago and was awarded his Ph. B. in 1909. He remained at the University until 1911 as alumni secretary and editor of the University Magazine.

In 1911, Hansen became a reporter for the Chicago Daily News, and in 1914 he was sent to Germany to cover World War I. His attendance at the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 led to the first of more than fifteen books, The Adventures of the Fourteen Points.

Returning to Chicago, Hansen became literary editor for the Daily News, a position he held until 1926. He then moved to New York where he was literary critic for the New York World and New York World-Telegram until 1949, and a reviewer for Harper’s Magazine from 1923 to 1939 and for Redbook from 1940 to 1950. He edited the annual O. Henry Prize collection of short stories from 1933 to 1940. From 1949 to 1965 he edited The World Almanac published by the World-Telegram. He became vice-president of the publishing firm Hastings House in 1965. He died January 2, 1977.

From the guide to the Hansen, Harry. Papers, 1898-1977, (Special Collections Research Center University of Chicago Library 1100 East 57th Street Chicago, Illinois 60637 U.S.A.)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Letter, 1931, to Lewis Mumford. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-. Letters to [Florence] Lipkin. New York, NY. 1932-1935. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966. Papers, 1681-1966 (bulk 1900-1960) Houghton Library
creatorOf Britt, George, 1895-. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser, 1929-1936. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Correspondence file, 1929, from Horace Liveright, Inc. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
referencedIn Amy Lowell correspondence, 1883-1927 (inclusive), 1910-1925 (bulk). Houghton Library
referencedIn Review of Reviews (New York, N. Y.), Golden Book Magazine, editorial correspondence, 1921-1935. Houghton Library
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Letters to [Wayne] Gard, 1926-1928. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Dennis, Charles Henry, 1860-1943. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser, 1919-1940. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Glasgow, Ellen Anderson Gholson, 1873-1945. Letters of Ellen Glasgow [manuscript], 1929-1938. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Sigmund, Jay G., 1885-1937. Papers, 1911-1975. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Typed letters signed (3) : New York World-Telegram, New York, to Edward Wagenknecht, 1936 Jan. 14, 1946 Oct. 3, and 1948 July 16. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Adamic, Louis, 1899-1951,. Letters to Alfred Kreymborg [manuscript], 1921-1956. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Abraham Aaron Roback papers, 1909-1965. Houghton Library
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Harry Hansen papers 1900-1970. Newberry Library
creatorOf McFee, William, 1881-1966. Letter to Harry Hansen : Westport, Conn. : LS, 1927 Sept. 27. UC Berkeley Libraries
creatorOf McFee, William. Correspondence, 1926-1933. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Papers, 1926-1978. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn National Lanier Centennial Committee. National Lanier Centennial Committee records, 1939-1945. Johns Hopkins University, Sheridan Libraries and the Milton S. Eisenhower Library
creatorOf Bowers, Claude Gernade, 1879-1958. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser, 1897-1939. University of Pennsylvania Libraries, Van Pelt Library
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Letter to Thomas Mabbott. [New York], NY. 1935 Sep. 16. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949. John T. McCutcheon papers 1834-1996, bulk 1889-1950. Newberry Library
creatorOf Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945. Typed letters signed (4) : New York, to Harry Hansen of The World-Telegram, 1931 Apr. 25 (item 1), May 20 (item 2), June 1 (item 4), and June 10 (item 6). Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Hansen, Harry. Papers, 1898-1977 Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library,
referencedIn Alexander Woollcott correspondence, ca. 1856-1943 (inclusive), 1920-1943 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Correspondence to Van Wyck Brooks, 1938-1957. University of Pennsylvania Library
creatorOf Chambers, Will Grant, 1867-1949. W.G. Chambers correspondence concerning Pennsylvania State College Institute of English Education, 1924-1929 (bulk 1926-1928). Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn Bodenheim, Maxwell, 1893-1954. Maxwell Bodenheim collection, 1923-1955. Princeton University Library
referencedIn Wisdom, William B. William B. Wisdom collection of Thomas Wolfe. 1909-1959. Houghton Library
creatorOf Sigmund, Jay G., 1885-1937. Papers of Jay Sigmund, 1911-1975. University of Iowa Libraries
creatorOf Drury, John, 1898-. John Drury-Marion Neville papers, 1860-1970. Newberry Library
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Letter to Lester Roberts. New York, NY. 1950 Mar. 31. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn Cooper mss. II, ca. 1905-1985 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
creatorOf Steffens, Lincoln, 1866-1936. Autograph letter signed : Croton, N.Y., to Harry Hansen, [no year] Apr. 23. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Lindsay, Vachel, 1879-1931. Letter 1923 June 17 [manuscript]. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Earl E. Fisk papers, 1911-1953 Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Hansen, Harry, 1884-1977. Papers, 1914-1976. University of Chicago Library
referencedIn John Mason Brown papers, 1922-1967. Houghton Library
creatorOf Pound, Ezra, 1885-1972. Typed letter signed : Rapallo [Italy], to Harry Hansen, 1927 Jan. 12. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Glasgow, Ellen Anderson Gholson, 1873-1945. Letters of Ellen Glasgow, Richmond, Va., to Harry Hansen, 1931-1943. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn William McFee Papers, 1922-1958 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
creatorOf Boyle, Kay, 1902-1992. Kay Boyle letters and poems, 1935-1975. Pennsylvania State University Libraries
referencedIn Roba, William Henry. Correspondence, 1978. University of Iowa Libraries
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Anderson, Sherwood, 1876-1941. person
associatedWith Bodenheim, Maxwell, 1893-1954 person
associatedWith Boyle, Kay, 1902-1992. person
associatedWith Brooks, Van Wyck, 1886-1963. person
correspondedWith Brown, John Mason, 1900-1969 person
associatedWith Cerf, Bennett, 1898-1971. person
associatedWith Chambers, Will Grant, 1867-1949. person
associatedWith Conroy, Jack, 1898-1990. person
associatedWith Cooper, Kent, 1880-1965 person
associatedWith Dell, Floyd, 1887-1969. person
associatedWith Dennis, Charles Henry, 1860-1943. person
associatedWith Dreiser, Theodore, 1871-1945. person
associatedWith Drury, John, 1898- person
associatedWith Fisk, Earl E. person
associatedWith Fisk, Earl E. person
correspondedWith Gannett, Lewis, 1891-1966 person
associatedWith Gard, Wayne, 1899-, person
associatedWith Glasgow, Ellen Anderson Gholson, 1873-1945. person
associatedWith Gunther, John, 1901-1970. person
associatedWith Hecht, Ben, 1893-1964. person
associatedWith Knopf, Alfred A., 1892-1984. person
associatedWith Lindsay, Vachel, 1879-1931. person
associatedWith Lipkin, Florence, person
correspondedWith Lowell, Amy, 1874-1925 person
associatedWith Mabbott, Thomas Ollive, 1898-1968, person
associatedWith McCutcheon, John T. (John Tinney), 1870-1949. person
associatedWith McFee, William. person
associatedWith McFee, William, 1881-1966. person
associatedWith Midwest Manuscript Collection (Newberry Library) corporateBody
associatedWith Mowrer, Paul Scott, 1887-1971. person
associatedWith National Lanier Centennial Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith Newberry Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Pierpont Morgan Library. Wagenknecht Collection. corporateBody
associatedWith Pound, Ezra, 1885-1972. person
associatedWith Rascoe, Burton, 1892-1957. person
associatedWith Review of Reviews (New York, N. Y.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Roback, A. A. (Abraham Aaron), 1890-1965 person
associatedWith Roba, William Henry. person
associatedWith Roberts, Lester, person
associatedWith Sigmund, Jay G., 1885-1937. person
associatedWith Smith, Henry Justin, 1875-1936. person
associatedWith Starrett, Vincent, 1886-1974. person
associatedWith Steffens, Lincoln, 1866-1936. person
associatedWith Tietjens, Eunice, 1884-1944. person
associatedWith University of Chicago corporateBody
associatedWith University of Chicago. Blackfriars corporateBody
associatedWith Van Loon, Hendrik Willem, 1882-1944. person
associatedWith Wagenknecht, Edward, 1900-2004, person
associatedWith White, Walter Allen. person
correspondedWith Wisdom, William B., 1900-1977 person
correspondedWith Woollcott, Alexander, 1887-1943 person
Place Name Admin Code Country
New York (State)--New York
Illinois--Chicago
Subject
Authors
Critics
Editors
Journalists
Manuscripts, American
Newspaper editors
Newspapers
Occupation
Authors, American
Editors
Activity

Person

Birth 1884-12-26

Death 1977

Male

Americans

Information

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SNAC ID: 43251626