Joe David Brown
Joe David Brown (1915-1976) was an American author and journalist known for his contributions to literature and storytelling, particularly focusing on Southern culture during the Depression era. Born in Birmingham, Alabama, he began his career in journalism after dropping out of the University of Alabama to work as a reporter. His military service during World War II as a paratrooper included notable participation in the D-Day invasion, for which he received several honors, including a Purple Heart.
Brown transitioned into fiction writing in the 1940s, drawing inspiration from his Southern roots and family stories, leading to the publication of acclaimed works such as his best-known novel, *Addie Pray*. His writing is characterized by humor, irony, and authentic depictions of Southern life. Over his career, Brown also worked as a foreign correspondent for Time-Life and authored nonfiction, contributing to his legacy as a versatile writer. His work has been recognized with awards, adaptations in film and television, and lasting honors, including the naming of a conference room in his memory.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Joe David Brown
Writer
- Born: May 12, 1915
- Birthplace: Birmingham, Alabama
- Died: April 22, 1976
- Place of death: Near Mayfield, Georgia
Biography
Joe David Brown was born on May 12, 1915, in Birmingham, Alabama, the son of William Samuel Brown, a newspaper publisher, and Lucille Lokey Brown. After studying at elementary and secondary schools in his hometown, he enrolled at the University of Alabama, dropping out in the early 1930’s when he convinced Jimmy Mills, managing editor of the Birmingham Post, to hire him for a reporting job in order to earn much-needed income during the Depression. On October 24, 1935, Brown married Mildred Harbour.
Brown worked as managing editor of the Dothan Eagle in Dothan, Alabama, was a reporter at the Atlanta Constitution, and then wrote financial news for the Journal American. He began writing feature articles for the New York Daily News in 1939. His divorce from his first wife became final in 1943.
In April, 1943, Brown resigned from his newspaper job and enlisted in a combat parachute battalion. As a paratrooper, he participated in the Rome-Arno campaign. Officers selected Brown for a mission involving twenty Allied soldiers who parachuted into France prior to the D-Day invasion. Brown battled German troops located near Omaha Beach, where the Allied forces landed on D-Day. Wounded while fighting, Brown received medical care in French and English hospitals, was promoted to the rank of second lieutenant, and was awarded a Purple Heart and a French Croix de Guerre with Palm.
In March, 1945, Brown’s military service officially ended and he resumed his newspaper position in New York City. He married his second wife, Frances O’Reilly, on June 30, 1945. The couple later had two sons and one daughter.
In the 1940’s, Brown began writing fiction based on stories he told his New York colleagues about his Southern relatives. An editor urged Brown to write and submit those stories to magazines. In March, 1946, the Saturday Evening Post published Brown’s short story, “Grandpa and the Miracle Grindstone.” Brown also published his debut novel, Stars in My Crown, that year. His fiction, set in the Depression-era South, incorporated autobiographical elements. Brown appropriated his paternal grandmother’s name, Addie, for the title of his best-known novel, Addie Pray.
In 1949, Brown accepted employment as a Time-Life foreign correspondent, serving as bureau chief in England, France, India, and the Soviet Union. By 1958, Brown had become a freelance author. He moved to Atlanta, Georgia, where he edited several books and wrote a nonfiction book about India for Time-Life. In late 1975, Brown bought land near Mayfield, Georgia, known as Covey Rise Farm. Suffering a heart attack, Brown died at his home on April 22, 1976.
Critics praised Brown’s storytelling voice, use of humor and irony, and authentic depiction of Southern characters, settings, and culture. The Alabama Library Association presented Brown the Alabama Author’s Award in 1974. In 2003, Brown’s novel, Addie Pray, was named a finalist in the rediscovery category of the Book Sense Book of the Year competition. Several of Brown’s books inspired film and television adaptations, including the film Paper Moon, an adaptation of Addie Pray. The Sparta-Hancock Library in Georgia honored Brown by naming a conference room after him.