author

Easley S. (Easley Stephen) Jones

1884–1947

A teacher, scholar, and writer, he moved between classrooms and world affairs, bringing a broad, practical sense of language to his books. Best known for coauthoring a widely used writing handbook, he also drew on time spent in Asia for later work.

1 Audiobook

The Century Handbook of Writing

The Century Handbook of Writing

by Garland Greever, Easley S. (Easley Stephen) Jones

About the author

Born in Blue Springs, Nebraska, in 1884, he grew up in Nebraska and Colorado, graduated from the University of Colorado in 1907, and later earned an M.A. from Harvard in 1913 and a Ph.D. from Columbia in 1930. He taught English for many years, including work at the University of Colorado and at the Santa Barbara State College.

His career was not limited to academia. According to archival records, he served as a research assistant on Russian affairs for the U.S. War Trade Board and later worked with the American Red Cross in Japan, Siberia, Korea, and China. That mix of teaching and international experience helps explain the practical, worldly tone of his writing.

He is best remembered as the coauthor, with Garland Greever, of The Century Handbook of Writing, a durable guide to clear English prose. He also wrote and edited other educational books, and his interest in Japan can be seen in Hokusai's Views of Mt. Fuji with Poems. He died in 1947.