Petry, Ann

Petry, Ann

▪ American author and journalist
née  Lane 
born October 12, 1908, Old Saybrook, Conn., U.S.
died April 28, 1997, Old Saybrook

      African-American novelist, journalist, and biographer whose works offered a unique perspective on black life in small-town New England.

      Born into a family of pharmacists in a small Connecticut town, Petry graduated in 1931 with a degree in pharmacy from the University of Connecticut. From 1931 to 1938 she worked in the family's drugstore before moving to New York City to become a writer. She began her career as a journalist, writing for the Amsterdam News (1938–41) and the Peoples' Voice of Harlem (1941–44), and then studied creative writing at Columbia University (1944–46).

      Her first novel, The Street (1946), became a best-seller and was critically acclaimed for its portrayal of a working-class black woman, Lutie Johnson, who dreams of getting out of Harlem but is inevitably thwarted by the pressures of poverty and racism. It was one of the first novels by an African-American woman to receive widespread acclaim. Country Place (1947) depicts the disillusionment and corruption among a group of white people in a small town in Connecticut. Her third novel, The Narrows (1953), is the story of Link Williams, a Dartmouth-educated black man who tends bar in the black section of Monmouth, Conn., and of his tragic love affair with a rich white woman. Although often criticized for its melodramatic plot, it has been lauded for its supple style and its sympathetic characterizations.

      Petry's short stories were collected in Miss Muriel and Other Stories (1971). She also published several historical biographies for children, including Harriet Tubman, Conductor on the Underground Railroad (1955) and Tituba of Salem Village (1964).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Ann Petry — (October 12 1908 ndash; April 28 1997) was an African American author.Ann Lane was born as the youngest of three daughters to Peter Clark Lane and Bertha James Lane in Old Saybrook, Connecticut. Her parents belonged to the Black minority of the… …   Wikipedia

  • Ann Petry — (* 12. Oktober 1908 in Old Saybrook, Connecticut; † 28. April 1997 ebd.) ist eine US amerikanische Schriftstellerin, deren Werk der so genannten afroamerikanischen Literatur zuzurechnen ist. Obwohl sie ein durchaus eigenständiges Gesamtwerk… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ann Lane Petry — Ann Petry (12 octobre 1908 28 avril 1997) était une écrivaine afro américaine. Née en 1908 à Old Saybrook (Connecticut), son père était pharmacien et sa mère coiffeuse. Sa famille appartenait à la classe moyenne. Dès le lycée, Ann Lane Petry se… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Petry — oder Pétry ist der Familienname folgender Personen: Achim Petry (* 1974), deutscher Musiker Ann Petry (1908–1997), US amerikanische Schriftstellerin Brigitt Petry (1943–1971), deutsche Sängerin und Komponistin Friedrich Ludwig Petry (1840 1927),… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Ann (Vorname) — Ann ist eine Variante des weiblichen Vornamens Anna. Folgende bekannte Personen tragen diesen Namen: Inhaltsverzeichnis A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Jeff Petry — Fichier:Jeff Petry.jpg Données clés Nationalité  États Unis Né le 9 décembre  …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Jeff Petry — Infobox Ice Hockey Player image size = 150px position = Defence shoots = Right height ft = 6 height in = 3 weight lb = 205 team = Edmonton Oilers league = NHL prospect team = Michigan State Spartans prospect league = CCHA nationality = United… …   Wikipedia

  • Liste der Biografien/Pet–Pez — Biografien: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • The Narrows (1953 novel) — The Narrows is a 1953 novel by African American writer Ann Petry. “The Narrows” is the name of the African American section of the fictional town of Monmouth, Connecticut, in which most of the novel’s action takes place. Though less famous than… …   Wikipedia

  • African American literature — ▪ literature Introduction       body of literature written by Americans of African descent. Beginning in the pre Revolutionary War period, African American writers have engaged in a creative, if often contentious, dialogue with American letters.… …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”