Irving Stone (born Tennenbaum, July 14, 1903 – August 26, 1989) was an American writer, chiefly known for his

biographical novel The biographical novel is a genre of novel which provides a fictional account of a contemporary or historical person's life. Like other forms of biographical fiction, details are often trimmed or reimagined to meet the artistic needs of the fictio ...

s of noted artists, politicians, and intellectuals. Among the best known are '' Lust for Life'' (1934), about the life of

Vincent van Gogh Vincent Willem van Gogh (; 30 March 185329 July 1890) was a Dutch Post-Impressionist painter who posthumously became one of the most famous and influential figures in Western art history. In a decade, he created about 2,100 artworks, inc ...

, and '' The Agony and the Ecstasy'' (1961), about

Michelangelo Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni (; 6 March 1475 – 18 February 1564), known as Michelangelo (), was an Italian sculptor, painter, architect, and poet of the High Renaissance. Born in the Republic of Florence, his work was ins ...

Biography

Born Irving Tennenbaum in

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17t ...

, he was seven when his parents divorced. By the time he was a senior in high school, his mother had remarried. He legally changed his last name to "Stone", his stepfather's surname. Stone said his mother instilled a passion for reading in him. From then on, he believed that education was the only way to succeed in life. In 1923, Stone received his bachelor's degree from the

University of California, Berkeley The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant un ...

. After receiving his M.A. there, he worked as a teaching assistant in English. He met his first wife, Lona Mosk (1905–1965), who was a student at the university. On money provided by her father, Los Angeles businessman Ernest Mosk, the young couple went to Paris. Irving and Lona Stone returned to the United States in the 1930s from Europe, where he had been researching Van Gogh for six months. In 1930 he received a letter from Dr. Felix Rey, who had treated Van Gogh after the artist cut off his own ear in December 1888. Rey, who was the subject of a portrait painting by Van Gogh, became Stone's friend; he confirmed that Van Gogh's whole ear was removed and not only the earlobe. As reported in the ''NY Times'' obituary of Stone on August 28, 1989, the Stones resided in New York's

Greenwich Village Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...

where Irving finished ''Lust for Life'', the biographical novel about Van Gogh that set his career in motion. According to the ''Times'', ''Lust for Life'' (the title suggested by his first wife) was rejected by seventeen publishers over three years before being published in 1934. Stone began a relationship with his secretary, Jean Factor, and after he and Lona were divorced, he and Jean married. This later marriage lasted until Stone's death in Los Angeles in 1989. Jean Stone died in 2004, aged 93. During their years together, Jean Stone edited many of his books. The Stones lived primarily in Los Angeles. They funded a

foundation Foundation may refer to: * Foundation (nonprofit), a type of charitable organization ** Foundation (United States law), a type of charitable organization in the U.S. ** Private foundation, a charitable organization that, while serving a good cause ...

to support a number of charitable causes. When at home, Stone relied upon the research facilities and expertise made available to him by Esther Euler, chief research librarian at the

University of California at Los Angeles The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California ...

. He dedicated books to her and thanked her in several of his works. According to his afterword in ''Lust for Life,'' Stone relied on Van Gogh's letters to his brother, art dealer

Theo Theo is a given name and a hypocorism. Greek origin Many names beginning with the root "Theo-" derive from the Ancient Greek word ''theos'' (''θεός''), which means god, for example: *Feminine names: Thea, Theodora, Theodosia, Theophania, ...

. Stone additionally did much of his research "in the field." For example, he spent many years living in Italy while working on ''The Agony and the Ecstasy,'' a novel about Michelangelo Buonarroti. The Italian government lauded Stone with several honorary

awards An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An award ...

during this period for his cultural achievements highlighting Italian history.

Non-fiction books

Although he was best known for his novels, Stone also wrote a number of non-fiction books. His biography of

Clarence Darrow Clarence Seward Darrow (; April 18, 1857 – March 13, 1938) was an American lawyer who became famous in the early 20th century for his involvement in the Leopold and Loeb murder trial and the Scopes "Monkey" Trial. He was a leading member of t ...

, ''Clarence Darrow For the Defense'', about the attorney known both for his defense of thrill killers

Leopold and Loeb Nathan Freudenthal Leopold Jr. (November 19, 1904 – August 29, 1971) and Richard Albert Loeb (; June 11, 1905 – January 28, 1936), usually referred to collectively as Leopold and Loeb, were two wealthy students at the University of Chicago ...

and his defense of John T. Scopes in the 1925 Scopes "Monkey" Trial (the trial of a biology teacher who taught about evolution in Tennessee), was published in 1941. His biography ''

Earl Warren Earl Warren (March 19, 1891 – July 9, 1974) was an American attorney, politician, and jurist who served as the 14th Chief Justice of the United States from 1953 to 1969. The Warren Court presided over a major shift in American constitutio ...

'', about the California governor and later Chief Justice of the United States, was published in 1948.

Film adaptations

The 1941 film, ''Arkansas Judge'', starring Roy Rogers, was based on Stone's 1940 novel ''False Witness''. In 1953, a popular film version was made of '' The President's Lady'', based on Stone's 1951 novel of the same name, starring

Charlton Heston Charlton Heston (born John Charles Carter; October 4, 1923April 5, 2008) was an American actor and political activist. As a Hollywood star, he appeared in almost 100 films over the course of 60 years. He played Moses in the epic film ''The Ten ...

Andrew Jackson Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845) was an American lawyer, planter, general, and statesman who served as the seventh president of the United States from 1829 to 1837. Before being elected to the presidency, he gained fame as ...

and

Susan Hayward Susan Hayward (born Edythe Marrenner; June 30, 1917 – March 14, 1975) was an American film actress, best known for her film portrayals of women that were based on true stories. After working as a fashion model for the Walter Thornton Model A ...

Rachel Donelson Jackson Rachel Jackson ( ''née'' Donelson; June 15, 1767 – December 22, 1828) was the wife of Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States.

. In 1956, a film version was made of '' Lust for Life'', based on his 1934 novel, starring

Kirk Douglas Kirk Douglas (born Issur Danielovitch; December 9, 1916 – February 5, 2020) was an American actor and filmmaker. After an impoverished childhood, he made his film debut in '' The Strange Love of Martha Ivers'' (1946) with Barbara Stanwyck. D ...

as Van Gogh. In 1965, a film was made of '' The Agony and the Ecstasy'', starring

as Michelangelo and

Rex Harrison Sir Reginald Carey "Rex" Harrison (5 March 1908 – 2 June 1990) was an English actor. Harrison began his career on the stage in 1924. He made his West End debut in 1936 appearing in the Terence Rattigan play '' French Without Tears'', in wh ...

Pope Julius II Pope Julius II ( la, Iulius II; it, Giulio II; born Giuliano della Rovere; 5 December 144321 February 1513) was head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 1503 to his death in February 1513. Nicknamed the Warrior Pope or t ...

. Stone's 1975 book, ''The Greek Treasure'', was the basis for the German television production '' Der geheimnisvolle Schatz von Troja'' (''Hunt for Troy'', 2007).

Legacy and honors

* 1956 Spur Award (Nonfiction) for ''Men to Match My Mountains'' * 1960 Honorary Doctorate of Letters from Berkeley, his alma mater. * 1961 Commonwealth Club of California Book Awards (Fiction, Silver) for ''The Agony and the Ecstasy '' * 1971 Golden Plate Award of the

American Academy of Achievement The American Academy of Achievement, colloquially known as the Academy of Achievement, is a non-profit educational organization that recognizes some of the highest achieving individuals in diverse fields and gives them the opportunity to meet ...

Bibliography

Fiction

* '' Lust for Life'' (1934) –

Historical novel Historical fiction is a literary genre in which the plot takes place in a setting related to the past events, but is fictional. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literature, it can also be applied to other t ...

based on the life of

* ''Sailor on Horseback.'' (1938) - Historical novel based on the life of

Jack London John Griffith Chaney (January 12, 1876 – November 22, 1916), better known as Jack London, was an American novelist, journalist and activist. A pioneer of commercial fiction and American magazines, he was one of the first American authors to ...

* ''False Witness'' (1940) - A novel set in a small farming community of Mission Valley, which inspired the 1941 movie Arkansas Judge starring Roy Rogers * '' Immortal Wife'' (1944) – Historical novel based on the life of

Jessie Benton Frémont Jessie Ann Benton Frémont (May 31, 1824 – December 27, 1902) was an American writer and political activist. She was the daughter of Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton and the wife of military officer, explorer, and politician John C. F ...

* '' Adversary in the House'' (1947) – Historical novel based on the life of Eugene V. Debs and his wife Kate, who opposed

socialism Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes th ...

Kate Debs seemed to have been so hostile to Debs's socialist activities – it threatened her sense of middle-class respectability – that novelist Irving Stone was led to call her, in the title of his fictional portrayal of the life of Debs, the ''Adversary in the House''. (Daniel Bell, ''Marxian Socialism in the United States'', footnote on page 88) * ''The Passionate Journey'' (1949) – Historical novel based on the life of American artist John Noble * '' The President's Lady'' (1951) – Historical novel based on the life of American president

and his marriage to

Rachel Donelson Jackson Rachel Jackson ( ''née'' Donelson; June 15, 1767 – December 22, 1828) was the wife of Andrew Jackson, the 7th president of the United States.

* ''Love is Eternal'' (1954) – Historical novel based on the marriage of

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...

and

Mary Todd Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also cal ...

* '' The Agony and the Ecstasy'' – (1961) – Historical novel based on the life of

* '' Those Who Love'' (1965) – Historical novel based on the life of

John Adams John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Befor ...

and

Abigail Adams Abigail Adams ( ''née'' Smith; November 22, [ O.S. November 11] 1744 – October 28, 1818) was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, as well as the mother of John Quincy Adams. She was a founder of the United States, a ...

* '' The Passions of the Mind'' (1971) – Historical novel based on the life of

Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts i ...

* '' The Greek Treasure'' (1975) – based on the discovery of Troy by

Heinrich Schliemann Johann Ludwig Heinrich Julius Schliemann (; 6 January 1822 – 26 December 1890) was a German businessman and pioneer in the field of archaeology. He was an advocate of the historicity of places mentioned in the works of Homer and an archaeolog ...

* '' The Origin'' (1980) – Historical novel based on the life of

Charles Darwin Charles Robert Darwin ( ; 12 February 1809 – 19 April 1882) was an English naturalist, geologist, and biologist, widely known for his contributions to evolutionary biology. His proposition that all species of life have descended ...

* ''Depths of Glory'' (1985) – Historical novel based on the life of

Camille Pissarro Jacob Abraham Camille Pissarro ( , ; 10 July 1830 – 13 November 1903) was a Danish-French Impressionist and Neo-Impressionist painter born on the island of St Thomas (now in the US Virgin Islands, but then in the Danish West Indies). ...

''Lust for Life'' and ''Immortal Wife'' were published as

Armed Services Edition Armed Services Editions (ASEs) were small paperback books of fiction and nonfiction that were distributed in the American military during World War II. From 1943 to 1947, some 122 million copies of more than 1,300 ASE titles were distributed to s ...

s during WWII.

Nonfiction

* ''Clarence Darrow For the Defense'' (1941) – biography of

* '' They Also Ran'' (1943, updated 1966) – analysis of candidates for U.S. president who were defeated * ''Earl Warren'' (1948) – biography of

* ''Men to Match My Mountains'' (1956) – account of the opening of the

American Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

, 1840–1900

References

External links

Guide to the Irving Stone Papers
at

The Bancroft Library The Bancroft Library in the center of the campus of the University of California, Berkeley, is the university's primary special-collections library. It was acquired from its founder, Hubert Howe Bancroft, in 1905, with the proviso that it retai ...

Irving Stone
video interview on '' Day at Night'', PBS, April 23, 1974 * {{DEFAULTSORT:Stone, Irving 20th-century American novelists American historical novelists American male novelists 1903 births 1989 deaths University of Southern California alumni Jewish American novelists 20th-century American biographers 20th-century American male writers American male biographers 20th-century American Jews People from San Francisco