Pauline Pfeiffer

Pauline Pfeiffer
unattributed · Public domain · source
Name	Pauline Pfeiffer
Birth date	1895
Birth place	St. Louis, Missouri
Death date	1951
Death place	Los Angeles, California
Occupation	Journalist, editor
Spouse	Ernest Hemingway
Children	Patrick Hemingway, Gregory Hemingway

Pauline Pfeiffer was an American journalist and editor, best known for her work with Vogue and her marriage to the renowned author Ernest Hemingway. She was a prominent figure in the Lost Generation, a group of American and British writers who came of age during World War I and were known for their experimental style and emphasis on disillusionment, which included notable writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and T.S. Eliot. Pfeiffer's life and career were closely tied to the literary and artistic circles of Paris and New York City, where she interacted with influential figures like James Joyce, Ezra Pound, and Sherwood Anderson. Her experiences and relationships had a significant impact on her writing and editing style, which was shaped by her interactions with Harold Ross, the founder of The New Yorker, and Condé Nast, the publisher of Vogue.

● Early life and education

Pauline Pfeiffer was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to a family of modest means, and she developed an interest in writing and journalism at an early age, inspired by the works of Mark Twain and Edith Wharton. She attended Visitation Academy of St. Louis, a Catholic boarding school, and later enrolled in University of Missouri, where she studied journalism and developed her writing skills under the guidance of Walter Williams, the founder of the Missouri School of Journalism. During her time at the university, Pfeiffer was exposed to the works of Theodore Dreiser, Upton Sinclair, and Frank Norris, which influenced her writing style and social views. After graduating, she moved to New York City to pursue a career in journalism, where she worked with notable writers and editors like Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley.

● Career

Pfeiffer's career as a journalist and editor spanned several decades and included stints at Vogue, where she worked under the guidance of Edna Woolman Chase, and Vanity Fair, which was founded by Condé Nast and Frank Crowninshield. She was known for her keen eye for fashion and her ability to identify emerging trends, which was influenced by her interactions with designers like Coco Chanel and Paul Poiret. Pfeiffer's work at Vogue brought her into contact with prominent writers and artists, including André Gide, Jean Cocteau, and Man Ray, who were part of the Ballets Russes and the Dada movement. Her experiences in the literary and artistic circles of Paris and New York City had a significant impact on her writing and editing style, which was shaped by her interactions with Ezra Pound, T.S. Eliot, and James Joyce.

● Personal life

Pfeiffer's personal life was marked by her marriage to Ernest Hemingway, which lasted from 1927 to 1940 and produced two sons, Patrick Hemingway and Gregory Hemingway. The couple's relationship was tumultuous and influenced by Hemingway's experiences in World War I and the Spanish Civil War, which were reflected in his works like A Farewell to Arms and For Whom the Bell Tolls. Pfeiffer's interactions with Hemingway's friends and acquaintances, including Gertrude Stein, Alice B. Toklas, and F. Scott Fitzgerald, had a significant impact on her life and career. Her relationships with other notable figures, such as Dorothy Parker and Robert Benchley, also played a role in shaping her personal and professional life.

● Later life and death

In the later years of her life, Pfeiffer continued to work as a journalist and editor, although her output slowed significantly due to her struggles with tuberculosis and depression, which were exacerbated by her experiences during World War II and the Cold War. She remained a prominent figure in literary and artistic circles, maintaining friendships with writers like Tennessee Williams, Truman Capote, and Gore Vidal, who were part of the Beat Generation and the New York School. Pfeiffer died in 1951 in Los Angeles, California, at the age of 56, leaving behind a legacy as a talented journalist and editor who played a significant role in shaping the literary and artistic landscape of the 20th century, which was reflected in the works of The New Yorker, Vogue, and Harper's Bazaar.

● Legacy

Pfeiffer's legacy is closely tied to her work as a journalist and editor, as well as her marriage to Ernest Hemingway and her relationships with other notable writers and artists, including F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gertrude Stein, and T.S. Eliot. Her contributions to the literary and artistic circles of Paris and New York City are still celebrated today, and her work continues to influence writers and editors around the world, including those at The New York Times, The Paris Review, and Granta. Pfeiffer's life and career serve as a testament to the power of women in journalism and the arts, and her legacy continues to inspire new generations of writers, editors, and artists, including those at University of Missouri, Columbia University, and New York University. Category:American journalists Category:Women in journalism Category:Lost Generation