Background
English, Maurice was born on October 21, 1909 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of Michael and Agnes (Sexton) English.
English, Maurice was born on October 21, 1909 in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Son of Michael and Agnes (Sexton) English.
Bachelor of Arts magna cum laude, Harvard, 1933. Journalist, United States and Europe, 1933-1953. Editor, public Chicago magazine, 1953-1957.
Freelance writer, 1957-1961.
Managing editor, senior editor University of Chicago Press, 1961-1969. Founding director Temple University Press, Philadelphia, 1969-1976.
Founder Pulvinar Press, 1975. Director University of Pennsylvania Press, 1979-1983.
Following English"s death, his family established the Maurice English Poetry Award, which honors an author in his or her sixth (fifty or beyond) decade of life for a distinguished book of poems published during the preceding calendar year. The award acknowledges that Maurice English"s first volume of poetry, Midnight in the Century, was published in his 55th year. The award carries an honorarium of $3,000 and a request for a public reading in Philadelphia.
The award was first given in 1985 to Jane Cooper for Scaffolding: New and Selected Poems (1985).
The year indicated is the year in which the award was made. 2005: Caroline Knox, He Paves the Road with Iron Bars 2004: R. T. Smith, The Hollow Log Lounge 2003: Samuel Hazo, Just Once: New and Selected Poems 2002: Robert Bly, The Night Abraham Called to the Stars 2001: Kay Ryan, Say Uncle 1991: Richard Fein, Kafka"s Ear 1990: West. South. Merwin, Selected Poems 1989: Jean Valentine, Home Deep Blue: New and selected poems.
1988: David Ray, Sam"s Book. 1987: Philip Booth, Relations 1986: Linda Pastan, A Fraction of Darkness 1985: Jane Cooper, Scaffolding: New and Selected Poems.
The Testament of Stone: Themes of Idealism and Indignation from the Writings of Louis Sullivan.
Member Phi Beta Kappa.
Married Fanita Blumberg, April. Children: Jonathan Brian, Deirdre Elena.