Donald Barr Chidsey
Donald Barr Chidsey was an American author born in 1902 in Elizabeth, New Jersey. He came from a family with creative ties, as his older brother Glen became a notable book designer. Although he graduated from high school, Chidsey did not pursue a college degree and instead held various jobs, including positions at newspapers, before dedicating himself to writing full-time. During World War II, he served as an ambulance driver in North Africa and the Middle East. Chidsey earned recognition as a biographer for his engaging narratives, although he faced criticism for the accuracy of his portrayals, often presenting overly broad interpretations of historical events. Among his notable works is "The Gentleman From New York: A Life of Roscoe Conkling" published in 1935, which was critiqued for its lack of seriousness. He also authored “Rod Rides High,” which won the Boys Club of America Junior Book Award in 1951, and “The Birth of the Constitution: An Informal History,” which received an award from the Colonial Dames of America in 1965. Chidsey passed away in Connecticut in 1981, leaving behind a mixed legacy in the literary world.
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Donald Barr Chidsey
Writer
- Born: May 14, 1902
- Birthplace: Elizabeth, New Jersey
- Died: 1981
- Place of death: New London, Connecticut
Biography
Donald Barr Chidsey was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey, in 1902, the son of John Marshall Chidsey and Catherine Barr Chidsey. His older brother, Glen Alan Chidsey, became a book designer of some note. Chidsey graduated from high school but did not earn a college degree. He held numerous jobs on his way to becoming a full-time writer, including jobs at several newspapers. During World War II, he drove an ambulance in North Africa and the Middle East. Chidsey married Virginia Clark in 1944 and the couple settled in Connecticut.
Chidsey had published several books before World War II, establishing a reputation as a biographer who revealed his subjects in colorful and engaging accounts. Chidsey was criticized, however, for his less than accurate depictions of his subjects. Even his fictionalized accounts of historical events and figures were considered by some critics to be overly broad interpretations of fact.
One of his biographies was The Gentleman From New York: A Life of Roscoe Conkling (1935). In it, Chidsey described the Republican politician and ally of Abraham Lincoln. One reviewer criticized the book, maintaining it lacked the seriousness of tone that a biography of Conkling required.
In 1951, Chidsey’s novel, Rod Rides High (1950), received the Boys Club of America Junior Book Award. The Birth of the Constitution, an Informal History (1964) received the Colonial Dames of America’s annual book award in 1965. Chidsey died in Connecticut in 1981.