Hurst, Fannie (1889-1968), was an American author whose fiction sympathetically portrays the struggles of average women. Many of her works reflect her interest in music and the stage. Hurst’s best-known book is the novel Imitation of Life (1933), a story that deals with motherhood and race relations.
Hurst began her literary career with four collections of short stories. She dramatized the title story of her fourth collection, Humoresque (1919) in 1923. About 30 of Hurst’s novels and stories were adapted into motion pictures. Her other novels include Lummox (1923), Back Street (1931), Great Laughter (1936), Lonely Parade (1942), Hallelujah (1944), Anywoman (1950), and God Must Be Sad (1961). She wrote an autobiography, Anatomy of Me (1958).
Hurst was born on Oct. 18, 1889, in Hamilton, Ohio, and grew up in St. Louis. She graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 1909. Hurst became a successful writer while in her 20’s, first publishing stories in magazines before turning to novels, beginning with Star-Dust in 1921. Hurst died on Feb. 23, 1968.
