Donald Heiney
Donald Heiney, also known by his pen name MacDonald Harris, was an influential California academic and author, recognized for his significant contributions to literature and education. Born in South Pasadena in 1921, Heiney served in the merchant marine during World War II and later pursued higher education, culminating in a doctorate from the University of Southern California. He played a pivotal role in establishing the English and comparative literature department at the University of California, Irvine in 1965.
Heiney's literary career began with the publication of his first short story in 1947, and he became known for his thought-provoking fiction. His notable works include "The Balloonist," which received a National Book Award nomination, and "Herma," a novel exploring themes of gender transformation. Throughout his career, Heiney was awarded numerous accolades, including a Fulbright scholarship and recognition from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Sciences for his literary contributions. He passed away in 1993, leaving behind a legacy of innovative storytelling and academic excellence.
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Subject Terms
Donald Heiney
Writer
- Born: September 7, 1921
- Birthplace: South Pasadena, California
- Died: July 24, 1993
- Place of death: Newport Beach, California
Biography
MacDonald Harris was the pen name of Donald Heiney, a California academic who helped establish the department of English and comparative literature at the University of California at Irvine when he joined the faculty in 1965. Born in South Pasadena, California, in 1921, Heiney left college to work, but joined the merchant marine when the United States entered World War II. He was eventually stationed at the Merchant Marine academy, which awarded him a degree in 1943. Heiney’s education continued after the war at the University of Redlands, and by 1947, he had published his first short story under his pseudonym, MacDonald Harris.
Heiney taught at the University of Southern California, where he also earned a doctorate, and the University of Utah at Salt Lake City prior to joining the University of California, Irvine, faculty. Among Heiney’s scholarly publications were two books on Italian literature, America in Modern Italian Literature, written in 1964, and Three Italian Novelists: Moravia, Pavese, Vittorini, written in 1968. Notable academic plaudits were a Fulbright-funded teaching position in Italy in 1959 and 1960, as well as research in Rome in 1962 and 1963, funded by the American Council of Learned Societies. Harris taught at the Sorbonne in 1972 and 1973, and was instrumental in developing an advanced degree in creative writing there.
Of Heiney’s fiction, written as MacDonald Harris, several works were noted by critics. Among them, The Balloonist, published in 1976, was set at the turn of the nineteenth century, and told the story of an entrepreneurial Swedish scientist who hoped to be the first to successfully balloon to the North Pole. The balloonist remembered his romance with an exotic singer from his failed vantage point. The Balloonist earned Heiney a National Book Award nomination.
Herma, from 1981, was a fantastical premise about a young woman, trained as an opera singer, who could will her genitals to change, thereby transforming her sex. In 1982, the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Sciences recognized Heiney with an award in literature for the body of his work. The PEN Los Angeles Center gave Heiney a special achievement award in 1985 for his novel Tenth. Heiney died in 1993.