Waldo Frank
Waldo Frank (1889-1967) was an American writer and philosopher known for his innovative approach to modern fiction. Born in Long Branch, New Jersey, he was raised in an affluent environment and educated at prestigious institutions, including Yale University. Influenced by American Transcendentalists and notable European authors, Frank sought a meaningful life that intertwined social and artistic expression. His spiritual journey included a significant reconnection with Judaism in 1920, which deepened his sense of unity with the universe. Over his career, he authored twelve novels and several nonfiction works, although many of them have since fallen out of print. Frank's literary style combined elements of mysticism, realism, Freudianism, and romanticism, reflecting his critique of materialism prevalent in society. While not a dominant figure in American literature, his contributions offer a unique perspective on the complexities of human experience and the search for deeper meaning.
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Waldo Frank
Writer
- Born: August 25, 1889
- Birthplace: Long Branch, New Jersey
- Died: January 9, 1967
Biography
Waldo Frank was born August 25, 1889, in Long Branch, New Jersey, the son of Julius J. Frank, a lawyer, and Helen (Rosenberg) Frank. He grew up in an affluent community and attended the prestigious DeWitt Clinton high school, from which he was expelled following a dispute in which he declared he knew more about Shakespeare than did his teacher. He finished his high school studies at a school in Lausanne, Switzerland. From Lausanne he went to Yale University, graduating from that institution with a B.A. and M.A. in 1911.
Frank married Margaret Naumberg, the founder of the Walden School in New York, in 1916. This marriage produced a son, Thomas, but ended in divorce in 1926. In 1927, Frank married Alma Magoon. This marriage produced two children, Michael and Deborah, and also ended in divorce. In 1943, Frank married Jean Klemper.
As a young man, Frank’s philosophy and literary aesthetics were influenced by American Transcendentalists, including Ralph Waldo Emerson and Walt Whitman, and European writers such as Honore de Balzac, Leo Tolstoy, and Gustav Flaubert. Like the Transcendentalists, Frank worked to live a meaningful life of spiritual oneness with the universe that revolved around social and artistic actions. Though initially he rejected the Jewish faith in which he was raised, in 1920 he experienced a spiritual rebirth. This rebirth resulted in an acceptance of Judaism that reinforced and clarified his sense of oneness with the universe.
Frank was the author of twelve novels, most of which went out of print, and several works of nonfiction. His death on January 9, 1967, ended the career of a prolific and experimental writer. Although he is not considered a dominant voice in American letters, he left a legacy as an innovator in modern fiction who blended mysticism, realism, Freudianism, and romanticism in his work. He rebelled against the smug materialism that he saw as an obstacle to the awareness of the unity of all things, and this rebellion operated as a social corrective in a time when materialism threatened to completely overtake American values.