Joseph Hergesheimer

Born in Philadelphia on February 15, 1880, Joseph Hergesheimer first trained as a painter before turning to fiction. That visual background shows in his writing, which is often noted for its color, texture, and carefully observed settings.

He broke through with The Three Black Pennys in 1917 and became widely known for novels centered on privilege, luxury, and the complicated lives of the wealthy. Critics often linked his work to a refined, decorative prose style, and for a time he was one of the most talked-about American novelists of his generation.

Hergesheimer died in Sea Isle City, New Jersey, on April 25, 1954. Although his reputation declined after his peak years, he remains an interesting figure in American literature for the way he combined painterly description with social observation.