Kenneth Flexner Fearing (1902-1961) was born in Oak Creek, Illinois on July 28, 1902. He
attended the University of Illinois for two years. In 1922, he transferred to the University
of Wisconsin-Madison. He worked for the Wisconsin Literary Magazine as a student and was
voted the editor-in-chief for the for the 1923-1924 school year. He was later forced to
resign. Fearing did not graduate in 1924 due to a failed math course although he was
eventually granted his degree in 1938. During his time at Wisconsin, Fearing met Margery
Latimer, who he had a brief romantic relationship with. Fearing and Latimer moved to New
York in 1924, where Fearing lived even after the end of his relationship with Latimer.
Fearing began his writing career by writing stories for pulp magazines. Early poems were
published in magazines such as "Poetry", "The New Yorker", "Free Verse", and "Scribner's".
In 1929, Fearing published his first work, "Angel Arms", a collection of poetry. From 1930
to 1933, he was a contributing editor for "New Masses" magazine. In the summer of 1931,
Fearing met Rachel Meltzer. They were married in 1933 and had a son, Bruce Fearing, in 1935.
In 1936, Fearing won a Guggenheim Fellowship for creative writing which took him and his
family to London for several months. The fellowship was renewed in 1939. In the next few
years, Fearing would publish a number of books including, "The Hospital" (1939), "Dagger of
the Mind" (1941), "Clark Gifford's Body" (1942). Fearing and Meltzer separated in 1942 and
were later divorced in 1943. Fearing met Nan Lurie, an artist, during his 1942 stay at
Yaddo, an artists' retreat in Saratoga Springs, NY. He first attended Yaddo in 1938 and had
returned frequently. Fearing and Lurie were married in 1945.
His most well known novel, "The Big Clock" was published in 1946 and was later adapted
into a movie in 1948. Fearing had struggled with alcohol for most of his life but it wasn't
until 1952 when he stopped drinking due to a warning from his doctor. Soon after this, Lurie
and Fearing separated. Fearing wrote book reviews for "Newsweek" from 1952-1954 and worked
with the Muscular Dystrophy Assocation of America, writing reports and publicity releases
from 1955-1958. His last two novels, "The Generous Heart" (1954) and "The Crozart Story"
(1960) were received poorly. On June 21, 1961 he was admitted to Lenox Hill Hospital in New
York City for a pain in his back. Fearing died five days later on June 26, 1961 of malignant
melanoma of the left chest and pleural cavity at age 58.
