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*James T. Farrell was born in 1904 in Chicago, IL where he lived in Washington Park neighborhood near the University of Chicago . Very little is known or documented about his early years, but it is apparent that James, having done well in school, was admitted to the University of Chicago in 1925.

*Having completed six terms at the University of Chicago , in 1927, James suddenly moved to New York, where he hoped to publish some of his short stories. Six months later, without having anything published, he returned to Chicago .

*In Chicago , James began to spend a lot of town at Uasia meetings (this was also referred to as “The Slow Club”), a group of writers, poets, and artists who meet at the Hotel Drexel on 57th and Cottage Grove Avenue.

 

*James relocated from his previous home near Washington Park to an apartment on 7136 East Avenue, in the South Shore District, with his Grandma and some members of her side of the family. He frequently used the Illinois Central Railroad to get to the University of Chicago , where he would write in the Harper Library (pictured at right).

 

*In 1928, James met Dorothy Butler at the Cube, which was a small theater on 1538 East 57th Street where many actors and writers liked to congregate.

 

*James' first story, “Slob,” was published by Simon and Schuster in 1929, however, after they also rejected James' idea for what would become Studs Lonigan , James hitchhiked to New York to attempt to make some contacts in the publishing business. He became frustrated and quickly ran out of money, thus returned to Chicago , where he spent the majority of his time writing the Chicago Public Library on Randolph and Michigan Avenue.

 

*In 1931, James married Dorothy Butler in New York on their way to Paris , where they lived for approximately a year. During their time in Paris, they lived on the Left Bank and later in Sceaux, where James spent most of his time writing and trying to get published. They also frequented Select café and The Deux Magots. It is during this time period that James finished Studs Lonigan and put his time into its publication.

*After James was promised the publication of Studs Lonigan , he and Dorothy, having exhausted nearly all their finances, elected to move back to Chicago, arriving in New York exactly five days before Studs Lonigan would be published. 7

For more specific information about Chicago's influence on Farrell's novel, Studs Lonigan, click ....

Chicago's Specific Influence on Farrell's Writing