Christopher Morley

Christopher Morley – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Explore the life, writings, and wit of Christopher Morley (May 5, 1890 – March 28, 1957), the American author, essayist, poet, and literary humorist. Discover his biography, major works, memorable quotes, and enduring legacy.

Introduction

Christopher Morley stands out as a versatile “man of letters” in early-to-mid 20th century American literature. He wrote novels, essays, poetry, and critiques, and was active as an editor, humorist, and lecturer. Though not always in the limelight today, Morley’s warmth, humor, and love of books left a lasting impression. His works—especially Parnassus on Wheels, The Haunted Bookshop, and Kitty Foyle—continue to be read by bibliophiles and admirers of literary charm.

In this article, we trace Morley’s life from his upbringing, through his prolific writing career, to his philosophy reflected in his many quotations, and consider the lessons and legacy he left behind.

Early Life and Family

Christopher Darlington Morley was born May 5, 1890, in Bryn Mawr / Haverford, Pennsylvania (some sources list Haverford as birthplace) .

• His father, Frank Morley, was a mathematics professor at Haverford College.

• His mother, Lilian Janet Bird (Morley), was a poet, musician, and lover of literature and arts, which deeply influenced Christopher’s sensibilities toward writing and poetry.

• He had brothers (including Felix Morley) who were also intellectually accomplished.

When Morley was still a child, in about 1900, the family moved to Baltimore, Maryland . He spent his early years in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

Youth and Education

• Morley attended Haverford College, graduating in 1910, where he was class valedictorian.

• After Haverford, he was awarded a Rhodes Scholarship and went to New College, Oxford from about 1910 to 1913, studying modern history.

• At Oxford, he also began publishing poetic or literary works; for example, a volume The Eighth Sin (poems) is attributed to him around that era.

These educational experiences anchored Morley in the traditions of classical literature, history, and a refined command of language, which fueled his later writing.

Career and Achievements

Morley’s career was wide—literary, editorial, journalistic, theatrical, and social. Below is a sketch of his major phases and contributions.

Early Literary and orial Work

• After finishing at Oxford, Morley relocated to New York City in 1913 to pursue literary work.

• In 1914 he married Helen Booth Fairchild; they had children (sources vary on the exact number)

• He initially worked in publishing: as a publicist and reader for Doubleday, before shifting to journalism and editorial writing.

• His first novel, P­arnassus on Wheels, was published in 1917, featuring a traveling bookseller, Roger Mifflin.

• In 1919, he published The Haunted Bookshop, a beloved tale for book lovers.

• Over his career, Morley produced more than a hundred books, including novels, essays, poetry, columns, and anthologies.

• He also wrote columns for the New York Evening Post (e.g. "The Bowling Green") from about 1920 onward.

• Morley was one of the founders of the Saturday Review of Literature, serving as a contributing editor from the mid-1920s (1924) through about 1940.

• He edited editions of Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations—specifically the 11th (1937) and 12th (1948) editions.

Themes, Style & Notable Works

Morley’s writing is often marked by graceful wit, literary affection, gentle humor, and a love of books, reading, and human quirks. Britannica describes his works as “lighthearted, vigorous displays of the English language.”

Some of his well-known works include:

• Kitty Foyle (1939), a more serious novel (which was later adapted into a film)

• Thunder on the Left (1925)

• Where the Blue Begins (satirical novel)

• Many collections of essays and humorous writings (Pipefuls, Shandygaff, Ex Libris, etc.)

Morley also engaged in theatrical productions: in the late 1920s (circa 1928–1930) he collaborated with Cleon Throckmorton to renovate and run theaters in Hoboken, New Jersey.

In 1936, he built a small writing studio behind his home in Roslyn Estates (“The Knothole”) as his writing retreat.

Later Years, Health & Death

• In 1951, Morley suffered a series of strokes that significantly reduced his literary output in his final years.

• He passed away on March 28, 1957, in Roslyn Heights, New York, and was interred in Roslyn Cemetery, Nassau County.

• After his death, his personal library, papers, and parts of his home (including The Knothole) were preserved in what became Christopher Morley Park in Nassau County, New York.

Historical & Cultural Context

Morley wrote during a time of great change in American letters: the interwar period, the rise of mass readership, evolving journalism, and shifting literary tastes. He embraced a friendly, conversational style that bridged serious literature and popular reading.

He was part of a social-literary milieu in New York and Long Island, known for convivial gatherings (like his “Three Hours for Lunch Club”) and a network of fellow writers, critics, and book lovers.

Moreover, Morley’s deep affection for books, bookstores, and the life of reading was part of a broader cultural movement valuing libraries, literary clubs, and intellectual fellowship in the early 20th century.

Legacy and Influence

• Among readers who cherish books, Morley is often celebrated as a bibliophile’s author—he wrote so many affectionate tributes to reading itself that he has become a figure of literary nostalgia.

• His early novels Parnassus on Wheels and The Haunted Bookshop remain in print and are frequently reissued as classics in the “library for book lovers.”

• Kitty Foyle remains perhaps his most commercially visible work due to its film adaptation.

• His influence extends through his edited works (Bartlett’s Quotes), his essays, and his role in literary editorial circles like the Saturday Review of Literature.

• Christopher Morley Park serves as a living memorial, preserving his studio, bookshelves, and the atmosphere of his writing life.

Personality, Style & Craft

• Morley combined humor, warmth, and erudition. He was not a heated polemicist but an observant, wry, conversational writer.

• He deeply loved books, libraries, and the act of reading — he often wrote about bookstores, bookshops, and the pleasure of discovering books.

• He believed in the power of language: elegant style, clarity, and expressive but not overwrought prose.

• His essays often blend personal anecdote, literary reflection, and gentle wisdom.

• He was also socially generous — hosting gatherings, mentoring, and fostering literary communities.

Famous Quotes of Christopher Morley

Here are selected quotes by Morley that reflect his worldview, wit, and passion for books:

“There is no mistaking a real book when one meets it. It is like falling in love.”

“Read, every day, something no one else is reading. Think, every day, something no one else is thinking. Do, every day, something no one else would be silly enough to do.”

“When you sell a man a book you don’t sell him just twelve ounces of paper and ink and glue — you sell him a whole new life. Love and friendship and humour and ships at sea by night — there’s all heaven and earth in a book, a real book.”

“Printer’s ink has been running a race against gunpowder these many, many years. Ink is handicapped, in a way, because you can blow up a man with gunpowder in half a second, while it may take twenty years to blow him up with a book. But the gunpowder destroys itself along with its victim, while a book can keep on exploding for centuries.”

“The world has been printing books for 450 years, and yet gunpowder still has a wider circulation. Never mind! Printer’s ink is the greater explosive: it will win.”

“There is only one success — to be able to spend your life in your own way, and not to give others absurd maddening claims upon it.”

“A mind too proud to unbend over the small ridiculosa of life is as painful as a library with no trash in it.”

“Life is a foreign language; all men mispronounce it.”

These quotations highlight Morley’s reverence for books, his wit, and his reflection on life, identity, and creativity.

Lessons from Christopher Morley

1. Cultivate a deep love for reading
   Morley shows that reading is not a passive consumption but an active dialogue with ideas, feelings, and worlds.

2. Humor and humanity matter
   In a serious literary climate, Morley reminds us that wit, kindness, and everyday observations enrich writing immensely.

3. Write what you care about
   His passion for books, literary history, and intellectual life is evident in his writings. One’s interests can become one’s greatest strength.

4. Balance breadth and depth
   Morley wrote in many genres (novel, essay, poem, criticism) yet maintained a coherent voice rooted in thoughtfulness.

5. Foster literary communities
   Through editorial work, gatherings, and mentorship, Morley enriched not just his own work but helped sustain literary life in his milieu.

6. Legacy through preservation
   His home studio and his writings are preserved; what we write, and how we live as writers, can outlast us if nurtured thoughtfully.

Conclusion

Christopher Morley was a gentle, witty, and deeply literate figure whose life and work celebrate the pleasures of books, reading, and intellectual friendship. Though not always at the center of literary fame today, his voice still resonates with those who cherish reading as a living thing. From Parnassus on Wheels to his essays and quips, Morley invites us to see books not merely as objects but as portals — to imagination, connection, and self-reflection.