Joseph Hergesheimer

Joseph Hergesheimer was an early twentieth-century American writer best known for his realism novels depicting decadent life among the wealthy. Hergesheimer was born February 15, 1880 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended a Quaker school and graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Hergesheimer released his debut novel, The Lay Anthony, in 1914. Three Black Pennies, published in 1917, detailed the imaginary lives of three generations of Pennsylvania ironmasters and established...See more

Joseph Hergesheimer was an early twentieth-century American writer best known for his realism novels depicting decadent life among the wealthy. Hergesheimer was born February 15, 1880 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended a Quaker school and graduated from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts. Hergesheimer released his debut novel, The Lay Anthony, in 1914. Three Black Pennies, published in 1917, detailed the imaginary lives of three generations of Pennsylvania ironmasters and established the author's approach of dealing with upperclass characters through a floridly descriptive manner known as "aestheticism." Hergesheimer's fame varied dramatically over his lifetime, from a high point of praise and popularity in the 1920s to near-total obscurity by the time he died. Java Head, a miscegenation story told from multiple perspectives that is widely regarded as his best novel, was a huge success, and his flamboyant, ornate, highly descriptive style (best seen in works such as the travelogue San Cristobal de la Habana) was praised for its elegance and power. See less