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Claude Houghton

January 01, 1970

Claude Houghton Oldfield (May 1889 – 10 February 1961), who published under the name Claude Houghton, was a British writer, principally of novels that have been characterised as "psychological romances, often embodying personal mysticism and a remote allegory".[1]

Claude Houghton
Houghton, circa 1948
BornClaude Houghton Oldfield
May 1889
Sevenoaks, Kent, England
Died10 February 1961(1961-02-10) (aged 71)
Eastbourne, East Sussex, England

Life edit

Claude Houghton Oldfield was born in 1889 in Sevenoaks, Kent, the son of George Sargent Oldfield (a public secretary) and his wife Elizabeth Harriett née Thomas. After being schooled at Dulwich College, he trained as an accountant. During the First World War, he was rejected for combat service because of poor eyesight and served instead in the Admiralty. He married an actress, Dulcie Benson, in 1920, and the couple moved to a cottage in the Chilterns.[2] He died in 1961 in Eastbourne, East Sussex.

Writing and reception edit

Houghton's literary career began in the 1910s, with the publication of some of his poems in G. K. Chesterton's magazine The New Witness. He would later cite Gustave Flaubert, Honoré de Balzac, and William Blake as influences on his writing.[3] Several of his novels contain fantastic elements, including the afterlife fantasy Julian Grant Loses His Way and the borderline science-fictional This Was Ivor Trent, about an author who has a vision of a future human being.[1][4] Houghton stated that all his fiction was based on the belief that modern civilization would collapse "because it no longer believes it has a destiny".[4]

Though he never achieved great popularity with the general public, Houghton's work was praised by such fellow writers as J. B. Priestley,[3] Hugh Walpole, Clemence Dane, and Henry Miller. In 1935, Walpole wrote:

I believe Claude Houghton to be one of the most interesting and one of the most important novelists now writing in England. With none of his contemporaries can one compare him—his odd mixtures of reality and fantasy, his gifts of drama and philosophy, his unusual and significant and courageous themes, his natural aptitude for narrative, this last one of the rarest of gifts among novelists today.[5]

In the same year a slim volume of Walpole's and Dane's commendations of Houghton's novels was published.[6]

Henry Miller was particularly partial to Houghton's Hudson Rejoins the Herd, of which he wrote: "What so startled me, in reading this book, was that it appeared to give a picture of my most intimate life during a certain crucial period. The outer circumstances were 'disguised,' but the inner ones were hallucinatingly real. I could not have done better myself."[7] In 1995, some of the correspondence between Miller, Houghton, and the Chicago bookseller Ben Abramson was published in Writers Three: A Literary Exchange.[8]

Houghton's novels were translated into French, German, and Czech, and President Tomáš Masaryk of Czechoslovakia was another admirer of his work.[3]

Houghton's best-known novel[1] is I Am Jonathan Scrivener, which Michael Dirda has called "a highly diverting, philosophical novel of considerable merit".[9] It has been suggested (by the film's musical director, Bernard Herrmann) that the novel influenced Orson Welles's technique, in Citizen Kane, of presenting the personality of the eponymous character through the recollections of other characters.[10] New editions of I Am Jonathan Scrivener and This Was Ivor Trent were published in 2013 by the U.S. publisher Valancourt Books, which also published new editions of Houghton's first novel, Neighbours, in 2014 and Julian Grant Loses His Way, A Hair Divides, and Chaos Is Come Again in 2015.

Both I Am Jonathan Scrivener and Birthmark were adapted as episodes of the U.S. television anthology series Westinghouse Studio One. The former, adapted by Brainerd Duffield and starring John Forsythe and Everett Sloane, was broadcast on 1 December 1952;[11] the latter, broadcast on 4 May 1953 under the title "Birthright", was adapted by Emerson Crocker and starred Jackie Cooper, Everett Sloane, and Estelle Winwood.[12]

Selected works edit

Novels edit

  • Neighbours (1926)
  • The Riddle of Helena (1927)
  • Crisis (1929)
  • A Hair Divides (1930)
  • I Am Jonathan Scrivener (1930)
  • Chaos Is Come Again (1932)
  • Julian Grant Loses His Way (1933)
  • The Passing of the Third Floor Back (1935), based on the play by Jerome K. Jerome
  • This Was Ivor Trent (1935)
  • Christina (1936)
  • Strangers (1938)
  • Hudson Rejoins the Herd (1939)
  • All Change, Humanity! (1942)
  • Six Lives and a Book (1943)
  • Passport to Paradise (1944)
  • Transformation Scene (1946)
  • The Quarrel (1948)
  • Birthmark (1950)
  • The Enigma of Conrad Stone (1952)
  • At the End of a Road (1953)
  • The Clock Ticks (1954)
  • Some Rise by Sin (1956)
  • More Lives Than One (1957)

Plays edit

  • Judas: A Tragedy in Three Acts (1922)
  • In the House of the High Priest (1927)

Poems edit

  • The Phantom Host (1917)
  • The Tavern of Dreams (1919)

Other edit

  • The Kingdoms of the Spirit (1924), essays
  • Three Fantastic Tales (1934), short stories: "The Man Who Hated Everybody", "The Madness of Christopher Curlew", and "The Strange Case of Mr. Anatole Pickering"

References edit

  1. ^ a b c Bleiler, E. F. (1983). The Guide to Supernatural Fiction. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press. p. 255. ISBN 0-87338-288-9.
  2. ^ Valentine, Mark (2013). "Introduction". This Was Ivor Trent by Claude Houghton. Kansas City, MO: Valancourt Books. p. v. ISBN 978-1-939140-11-1.
  3. ^ a b c Kunitz, Stanley J.; Haycraft, Howard, eds. (1950). Twentieth Century Authors: A Biographical Dictionary of Modern Literature (3rd ed.). New York: H. W. Wilson. pp. 1045–46.
  4. ^ a b Stableford, Brian (1993). "Houghton, Claude". In Clute, John; Nicholls, Peter (eds.). The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction (2nd ed.). London: Orbit. p. 588. ISBN 1-85723-124-4.
  5. ^ Walpole, Hugh (1935). "A Note on the Novels of Claude Houghton". I Am Jonathan Scrivener by Claude Houghton. New York: Doubleday, Doran. Rpt. in the edition of the novel by Valancourt Books, 2013, p. xiii. ISBN 978-1-939140-08-1
  6. ^ Walpole, Hugh; Dane, Clemence (1935). Claude Houghton: Appreciations by Hugh Walpole and Clemence Dane, with a Bibliography. London: Heinemann.
  7. ^ Miller, Henry (1969). The Books in My Life. New York: New Directions. p. 46. ISBN 0-8112-0108-2. Retrieved 4 July 2013.
  8. ^ Miller, Henry; Houghton, Claude; Abramson, Ben (1995). Writers Three: A Literary Exchange. Paris, London: Alyscamps. ISBN 978-1-897722-73-2.
  9. ^ Dirda, Michael (2000). "The Quest for Scrivener". Readings: Essays and Literary Entertainments. Bloomington, IN: Indiana University Press. p. 8. ISBN 0-253-33824-7.
  10. ^ Heylin, Clinton (2005). Despite the System: Orson Welles Versus the Hollywood Studios. Chicago: Chicago Review Press. pp. 41–42. ISBN 1-55652-547-8. Retrieved 5 July 2013.
  11. ^ "Studio One: I Am Jonathan Scrivener (TV)". The Paley Center for Media. Retrieved 7 July 2013.
  12. ^ "Westinghouse Studio One: Season 5 (CBS) (1952–53)". The Classic TV Archive. Retrieved 13 August 2013.

External links edit

January 01, 1970
claude, houghton, oldfield, 1889, february, 1961, published, under, name, british, writer, principally, novels, that, have, been, characterised, psychological, romances, often, embodying, personal, mysticism, remote, allegory, houghton, circa, 1948born, oldfie. Claude Houghton Oldfield May 1889 10 February 1961 who published under the name Claude Houghton was a British writer principally of novels that have been characterised as psychological romances often embodying personal mysticism and a remote allegory 1 Claude HoughtonHoughton circa 1948BornClaude Houghton OldfieldMay 1889Sevenoaks Kent EnglandDied10 February 1961 1961 02 10 aged 71 Eastbourne East Sussex England Contents 1 Life 2 Writing and reception 3 Selected works 3 1 Novels 3 2 Plays 3 3 Poems 3 4 Other 4 References 5 External linksLife editClaude Houghton Oldfield was born in 1889 in Sevenoaks Kent the son of George Sargent Oldfield a public secretary and his wife Elizabeth Harriett nee Thomas After being schooled at Dulwich College he trained as an accountant During the First World War he was rejected for combat service because of poor eyesight and served instead in the Admiralty He married an actress Dulcie Benson in 1920 and the couple moved to a cottage in the Chilterns 2 He died in 1961 in Eastbourne East Sussex Writing and reception editHoughton s literary career began in the 1910s with the publication of some of his poems in G K Chesterton s magazine The New Witness He would later cite Gustave Flaubert Honore de Balzac and William Blake as influences on his writing 3 Several of his novels contain fantastic elements including the afterlife fantasy Julian Grant Loses His Way and the borderline science fictional This Was Ivor Trent about an author who has a vision of a future human being 1 4 Houghton stated that all his fiction was based on the belief that modern civilization would collapse because it no longer believes it has a destiny 4 Though he never achieved great popularity with the general public Houghton s work was praised by such fellow writers as J B Priestley 3 Hugh Walpole Clemence Dane and Henry Miller In 1935 Walpole wrote I believe Claude Houghton to be one of the most interesting and one of the most important novelists now writing in England With none of his contemporaries can one compare him his odd mixtures of reality and fantasy his gifts of drama and philosophy his unusual and significant and courageous themes his natural aptitude for narrative this last one of the rarest of gifts among novelists today 5 In the same year a slim volume of Walpole s and Dane s commendations of Houghton s novels was published 6 Henry Miller was particularly partial to Houghton s Hudson Rejoins the Herd of which he wrote What so startled me in reading this book was that it appeared to give a picture of my most intimate life during a certain crucial period The outer circumstances were disguised but the inner ones were hallucinatingly real I could not have done better myself 7 In 1995 some of the correspondence between Miller Houghton and the Chicago bookseller Ben Abramson was published in Writers Three A Literary Exchange 8 Houghton s novels were translated into French German and Czech and President Tomas Masaryk of Czechoslovakia was another admirer of his work 3 Houghton s best known novel 1 is I Am Jonathan Scrivener which Michael Dirda has called a highly diverting philosophical novel of considerable merit 9 It has been suggested by the film s musical director Bernard Herrmann that the novel influenced Orson Welles s technique in Citizen Kane of presenting the personality of the eponymous character through the recollections of other characters 10 New editions of I Am Jonathan Scrivener and This Was Ivor Trent were published in 2013 by the U S publisher Valancourt Books which also published new editions of Houghton s first novel Neighbours in 2014 and Julian Grant Loses His Way A Hair Divides and Chaos Is Come Again in 2015 Both I Am Jonathan Scrivener and Birthmark were adapted as episodes of the U S television anthology series Westinghouse Studio One The former adapted by Brainerd Duffield and starring John Forsythe and Everett Sloane was broadcast on 1 December 1952 11 the latter broadcast on 4 May 1953 under the title Birthright was adapted by Emerson Crocker and starred Jackie Cooper Everett Sloane and Estelle Winwood 12 Selected works editNovels edit Neighbours 1926 The Riddle of Helena 1927 Crisis 1929 A Hair Divides 1930 I Am Jonathan Scrivener 1930 Chaos Is Come Again 1932 Julian Grant Loses His Way 1933 The Passing of the Third Floor Back 1935 based on the play by Jerome K Jerome This Was Ivor Trent 1935 Christina 1936 Strangers 1938 Hudson Rejoins the Herd 1939 All Change Humanity 1942 Six Lives and a Book 1943 Passport to Paradise 1944 Transformation Scene 1946 The Quarrel 1948 Birthmark 1950 The Enigma of Conrad Stone 1952 At the End of a Road 1953 The Clock Ticks 1954 Some Rise by Sin 1956 More Lives Than One 1957 Plays edit Judas A Tragedy in Three Acts 1922 In the House of the High Priest 1927 Poems edit The Phantom Host 1917 The Tavern of Dreams 1919 Other edit The Kingdoms of the Spirit 1924 essays Three Fantastic Tales 1934 short stories The Man Who Hated Everybody The Madness of Christopher Curlew and The Strange Case of Mr Anatole Pickering References edit a b c Bleiler E F 1983 The Guide to Supernatural Fiction Kent OH Kent State University Press p 255 ISBN 0 87338 288 9 Valentine Mark 2013 Introduction This Was Ivor Trent by Claude Houghton Kansas City MO Valancourt Books p v ISBN 978 1 939140 11 1 a b c Kunitz Stanley J Haycraft Howard eds 1950 Twentieth Century Authors A Biographical Dictionary of Modern Literature 3rd ed New York H W Wilson pp 1045 46 a b Stableford Brian 1993 Houghton Claude In Clute John Nicholls Peter eds The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction 2nd ed London Orbit p 588 ISBN 1 85723 124 4 Walpole Hugh 1935 A Note on the Novels of Claude Houghton I Am Jonathan Scrivener by Claude Houghton New York Doubleday Doran Rpt in the edition of the novel by Valancourt Books 2013 p xiii ISBN 978 1 939140 08 1 Walpole Hugh Dane Clemence 1935 Claude Houghton Appreciations by Hugh Walpole and Clemence Dane with a Bibliography London Heinemann Miller Henry 1969 The Books in My Life New York New Directions p 46 ISBN 0 8112 0108 2 Retrieved 4 July 2013 Miller Henry Houghton Claude Abramson Ben 1995 Writers Three A Literary Exchange Paris London Alyscamps ISBN 978 1 897722 73 2 Dirda Michael 2000 The Quest for Scrivener Readings Essays and Literary Entertainments Bloomington IN Indiana University Press p 8 ISBN 0 253 33824 7 Heylin Clinton 2005 Despite the System Orson Welles Versus the Hollywood Studios Chicago Chicago Review Press pp 41 42 ISBN 1 55652 547 8 Retrieved 5 July 2013 Studio One I Am Jonathan Scrivener TV The Paley Center for Media Retrieved 7 July 2013 Westinghouse Studio One Season 5 CBS 1952 53 The Classic TV Archive Retrieved 13 August 2013 External links editClaude Houghton papers at the Harry Ransom Center Claude Houghton papers at Rice University Claude Houghton papers at Cambridge University Claude Houghton at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database Claude Houghton at Library of Congress with 42 library catalogue records Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Claude Houghton amp oldid 1223189464, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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