James Thurber (1884-1961) was an American author, cartoonist, and celebrated wit. He lost vision in one eye as a child in an accident. He had a career in journalism, writing for newspapers in Columbus, Washington D.C., Paris, and New York City. In 1927 he joined the staff of The New Yorker magazine. He published several successful books and plays and received honorary degrees, though he declined one from his alma mater Ohio State University in protest. Thurber suffered from various illnesses in his later years and died in 1961 from a brain blood clot at the age of 77.

3. In 1901, at the age of seven, little James was shot in the eye while playing a William Tell game with his brothers. This caused blindness in one eye.

4. After attending Sullivant Elementary School, Douglas Junior High School and East High School in Columbus, he entered the Ohio State University, in 1912.

5. Thurber worked in several places the State Department, in Washington DC and in Paris, at the American Embassy. His professional career was mainly related to journalism for The Columbus Dispatch ; in Paris as a reporter for The Chicago Tribune ; in New York City for the New York Evening Post . In 1927 Thurber became editor-writer for The New Yorker .

6. A relevant person in Thurber’s life was E. B. White, wo helped him to get into The New Yorker and encouraged him to publish his cartoons. Later they both collaborated to write Thurber’s first book in 1929, Is sex necessary?

7. In 1922 Thurber married Althea Adams, Ohio State beauty with dominant personality who may have influenced the character of the "Thurber woman." In 1935, after several years of difficulty and separations, James and Althea divorced in May; James married Helen Wismer, in June. Altea and Thurber had an only child, Rosemary.

8. From 1937 Thurber had a very moved and lively life. He travelled in France and England. He did shows of his drawings in London. Collaborated Elliot Nugent on The Male Animal , a play about Ohio State, enormously successful on Broadway.

9. Thurber was awarded with three honorary doctorates: Letters Degree from Kenyon College in Ohio; Thurber from William's College in Massachusetts and Doctor of Letters from Yale University. He declined the honorary Doctor of Letters degree from his alma mater, Ohio State, in protest over its suppression of academic freedom during the reign of the House Un-American Activities Committee.

10. But sooner than later, Thurber began to suffer several illness and diseases. He had has serious eye problems; he passed a pneumonia and appendicitis. A thyroid condition caused him to have an erratic behavior.

11. In 1961, October, one month after having been stricken by a blood clot in his brain, he died. His ashes are interred at Greenlawn Cemetery in Columbus, Ohio, plot 50.

12. http://www.thurberhouse.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Thurber