Charles Yale Harrison
Charles Yale Harrison was an American author born in Philadelphia in 1898, known for his impactful work that draws heavily from his experiences as a soldier in World War I. Leaving school after a disagreement with his teacher, he eventually found his way to Montreal, where he worked for the Montreal Star and joined the Royal Montreal Regiment. Harrison served as a machine gunner in France and Belgium, sustaining a foot injury during the battle of Amiens in 1918. His most notable literary work, *Generals Die in Bed*, published in 1930, starkly depicts the harsh realities of trench warfare and the dehumanization of soldiers, drawing parallels to Erich Maria Remarque’s *All Quiet on the Western Front*. The novel gained international recognition, being translated into multiple languages, which highlighted its universal themes of the brutality of war. Beyond fiction, Harrison also authored the first significant biography of renowned lawyer Clarence Darrow in 1931. Later in life, he transitioned to work as a public housing consultant in New York City. His final book, *Thank God for My Heart Attack*, published in 1949, reflects on his health struggles leading up to his death in 1953.
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Subject Terms
Charles Yale Harrison
- Born: June 16, 1898
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylavania
- Died: March 17, 1954
Biography
Charles Yale Harrison was born in Philadelphia in 1898. Harrison had a fourth-grade education, and reportedly left school after an argument with his teacher over The Merchant of Venice. At some point Harrison made his way to Montreal and found work with the Montreal Star. He joined the Royal Montreal Regiment, where he became a machine gunner. Harrison saw action in France and Belgium. In 1918 at the battle of Amiens, Harrison was wounded in the foot.
After he returned to convalesce in Montreal, Harrison married in 1920, and became a father. Harrison’s first wife died in 1931; he remarried in 1932 and was later divorced. Harrison married a third time in 1940.
Harrison drew from his war experience to write Generals Die in Bed in 1930. Generals Die in Bed shined a harsh light on the brutal reality of war. Harrison was unromantic about the role of a soldier in trench warfare. Harrison portrayed a soldier’s life as that of a pawn, an expendable piece on an officer’s chess board, manipulated, misinformed, and used as canon fodder.
Comparisons to Erich Maria Remarque’s All Quiet on the Western Front may have been more than apt. Excerpts of Generals Die in Bed appeared in print in Europe prior to its publication, which buoyed arguments that the similarities to All Quiet on the Western Front were due to Harrison’s influence on Remarque. That Generals Die in Bed was translated into Chinese, Czechoslovakian, French, German, Russian and Spanish was an indication of its appeal.
Harrison published the first significant biography of Clarence Darrow in 1931, titled Clarence Darrow. Harrison worked as a public housing consultant after he moved to New York City. Harrison’s last book was written after he developed heart disease. The book, Thank God for My Heart Attack published in 1949, was a harbinger of the medical problems that would lead to Harrison’s death in 1953.