Christopher Morley
A literary bon vivant whose witty essays and beloved novel 'Kitty Foyle' championed the joys of books, beer, and metropolitan life.
1890–1957 (age 67)·American journalist, novelist, essayist and poet·Birthday: May 5·The Lost Generation
Biography
Christopher Morley was a man of letters in the truest, most enthusiastic sense. A newspaper columnist, novelist, poet, and founder of the Saturday Review of Literature, he infused American literary culture with a contagious, erudite charm. His writing celebrated the everyday pleasures of New York City—its bookshops, commuter trains, and taverns—with a warmth that made him a household name. While he produced a vast body of work, from light verse to Sherlock Holmes parodies, his peak came with the 1939 bestseller 'Kitty Foyle,' a frank novel from a working woman's perspective that was turned into a popular film. Morley was a central figure in the literary scene, a founder of the Baker Street Irregulars, and a passionate advocate for making literature a lively part of daily conversation.
The Lost Generation
1883–1900
Came of age during World War I. Disillusioned by the carnage, they rejected the certainties of the Victorian era and built modernism from the wreckage — in art, literature, and politics.
Christopher was born in 1890, placing them squarely in The Lost Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Christopher Was Born
The biggest hits of 1890
Christopher's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1890Born
Wounded Knee massacre marks the end of the Indian Wars
President: Benjamin Harrison
1895Started school
First public film screening by the Lumiere brothers
President: Grover Cleveland
1903Became a teenager
Wright brothers achieve first powered flight
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1906Could drive
San Francisco earthquake devastates the city
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1908Could vote
Ford Model T goes into production
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1911Turned 21
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire kills 146 in New York
President: William Howard Taft
1920Turned 30
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1930Turned 40
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1940Turned 50
The Blitz: Germany bombs London
Gas: $0.18/galHome: $2,938Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"I'll Never Smile Again" — Tommy DorseyBest Picture: Rebecca
1950Turned 60
Korean War begins
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,354Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Goodnight Irene" — Gordon Jenkins & The WeaversBest Picture: All About Eve
1957Died at 67
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
Key Achievements
- Founded and edited the 'Saturday Review of Literature,' a influential weekly magazine for book lovers.
- Wrote the bestselling novel 'Kitty Foyle' (1939), which was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film.
- Was a founding member of the Baker Street Irregulars, the premier society dedicated to the study of Sherlock Holmes.
- Authored the classic essay collection 'Parnassus on Wheels' and its sequel 'The Haunted Bookshop,' celebrating bibliophilia.
Did You Know?
He wrote the introduction to the standard Modern Library edition of 'The Complete Works of Sherlock Holmes.'
A prolific writer, he published over 100 books, including novels, essay collections, and poetry.
Morley Station on the Long Island Rail Road is named in his honor, reflecting his frequent writings about commuter life.
He was one of the first judges for the Book-of-the-Month Club, helping to select titles for its subscribers.
“Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do. It is bad for the mind to be always part of unanimity.”
