Purdy, James

Purdy, James (Amos)

(1923– ) writer; born in Ohio. He studied at the Universities of Chicago and Puebla, Mexico. He taught at Lawrence College (Wisc.) (1949–53), worked as an interpreter in France, Spain, and Latin America, and maintained a home in Brooklyn, N.Y. After early failures at being published in America, he was aided by Dame Edith Sitwell and his career was launched in England. He is known for his satiric novels, such as Malcolm (1959), as well as for short stories, poetry, and plays.