Joseph Payne Brennan
Joseph Payne Brennan was a notable American writer and poet, born in 1918 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. He began his career in journalism at the New Haven Journal-Courier at just eighteen, demonstrating his early passion for writing. After serving in the United States Army during World War II, where he earned four battle stars for his service, Brennan returned to work at Yale University library, where he spent much of his professional life until his retirement in 1985. He established his own publishing house, Macabre House, to publish some of his works, but most of his writings appeared as short stories and poems in genre magazines before being compiled by small-press publishers.
Brennan is recognized for his short stories that often depict "average human beings confronting the supernatural," showcasing his unique storytelling ability. His poetic works, characterized by macabre themes and simple language, also earned him accolades, including the Leonora Speyer Memorial Award and the Clark Ashton Smith Poetry Award. He was celebrated for his contributions to the genre, culminating in a lifetime achievement award from the World Fantasy Convention. Brennan passed away in 1990, leaving a legacy that continues to resonate within the literary community.
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Subject Terms
Joseph Payne Brennan
Writer
- Born: December 20, 1918
- Birthplace: Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Died: January 28, 1990
- Place of death: New Haven, Connecticut
Biography
Joseph Payne Brennan was born in 1918 in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and entered the writing world working for the New Haven Journal-Courier in 1937 at the age of eighteen. A self- educated man, Brennan held other jobs in New Haven, Connecticut, working as a low-level editor for another local newspaper and as a librarian for the Yale University library before signing up with the United States Army in 1943. An adept soldier, Brennan was rewarded with four battle stars for his outstanding service to his country. Upon his return to the States, Brennan rejoined the Yale University library and ended up spending most of his long career on the staff there as a senior assistant in the acquisitions department, a position he held until his retirement in 1985.
As a writer, Brennan made the uncommon move of establishing his own publishing house, Macabre House, which went on to publish some of his works. The majority of his publications, however, were originally published as short stories and poems in genre magazines and later gathered into collections by small-press publishers. According to Stefan R. Dziemianowicz, an editor familiar with Brennan’s work, his short stories “are simple tales of average human beings confronting the supernatural.” In addition to the more than forty short stories he wrote, Brennan also wrote poetry as well as a few adventure novels. His poetry was written as macabre verse and many of his poems are laced with poetic images and known for the simplicity of their language.
Brennan’s accolades include the Leonora Speyer Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America for his poem “New England Vignette” written in the 1960’s, the Clark Ashton Smith Poetry Award for his life work (1978), and the World Fantasy Convention Award for his lifetime achievement (1982). Brennan passed away from acute leukemia in 1990, leaving behind in New Haven his wife of nineteen years, Doris M. Philbrick.