Vance Nye Bourjaily (September 17, 1922 â€" August 31, 2010) was an
American novelist, playwright, journalist, creative writing teacher,
and essayist.Bourjaily was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Monte Ferris
Bourjaily, a Lebanese immigrant who was a journalist and later became
editor of the United Features Syndicate, and Barbara Webb, an
American-born features author and novelist. Bourjaily moved several
times during his youth. His childhood was spent in Connecticut,
Virginia, and New York. Bourjaily graduated from Handley High School
in Winchester, Virginia in 1939. After graduating, Bourjaily enrolled
in Bowdoin College. With the coming of World War II, Bourjaily became
a volunteer ambulance driver from 1942 to 1944. He then served two
years in the army from 1944 to 1946. Bourjaily's time in the army was
a central theme to many of his later writings. His Arab American
themes are explored by literary critic Evelyn Shakir Bourjaily
graduated from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in 1947. While at Bowdoin,
he became a brother of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Theta
chapter). After graduating, he lived for a few years in San Francisco,
writing feature stories for the San Francisco Chronicle before moving
to New York City in 1950.Bourjaily married Bettina Yensen in 1946. The
couple had three children. His daughter, Anna, along with the
daughter's fifth grade classmate, were killed in a 1964 car accident,
in which Bourjaily was driving. Yensen and Bourjaily later divorced.
American novelist, playwright, journalist, creative writing teacher,
and essayist.Bourjaily was born in Cleveland, Ohio to Monte Ferris
Bourjaily, a Lebanese immigrant who was a journalist and later became
editor of the United Features Syndicate, and Barbara Webb, an
American-born features author and novelist. Bourjaily moved several
times during his youth. His childhood was spent in Connecticut,
Virginia, and New York. Bourjaily graduated from Handley High School
in Winchester, Virginia in 1939. After graduating, Bourjaily enrolled
in Bowdoin College. With the coming of World War II, Bourjaily became
a volunteer ambulance driver from 1942 to 1944. He then served two
years in the army from 1944 to 1946. Bourjaily's time in the army was
a central theme to many of his later writings. His Arab American
themes are explored by literary critic Evelyn Shakir Bourjaily
graduated from Bowdoin College with a B.A. in 1947. While at Bowdoin,
he became a brother of the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity (Theta
chapter). After graduating, he lived for a few years in San Francisco,
writing feature stories for the San Francisco Chronicle before moving
to New York City in 1950.Bourjaily married Bettina Yensen in 1946. The
couple had three children. His daughter, Anna, along with the
daughter's fifth grade classmate, were killed in a 1964 car accident,
in which Bourjaily was driving. Yensen and Bourjaily later divorced.
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