"A Most Infamous Young Swindler": The Short Tragic Life of Thomas Langrel Harris - Softcover

Fanning, Patricia J.

Softcover

ISBN 13: 9798989416219

Publisher: Rock Street Press, 2025

Synopsis

Artistically gifted, rejected by his parents, plagued by uncontrollable mood swings, and a suicide at age 24, Thomas Langrel Harris was gay, manic, and, quite possibly, a genius. Oscar Wilde called him “a most infamous young swindler” while Edward Steichen referred to him as “one of the biggest men of our time.” This is the story of a talented artist, significant photographic model, and mercurial young man, all trace of whom Fate seemed determined to erase. The settings range from the small town of Petersburg, Illinois, to the grand boulevards of Paris, France. Unidentified for nearly a century, the tale of this elusive yet fascinating figure can now be told.

About this title

About the Author

Patricia J. Fanning, Ph.D. is professor of sociology emerita at Bridgewater State University in Bridgewater, Massachusetts. Her publications include essays on connections between the arts, primarily photography and literature, and the wider American culture. She has written two books about turn-of-the-century Boston arts and culture: "Through an Uncommon Lens: The Life and Photography of F. Holland Day" (2008) and "Artful Lives: The Francis Watts Lee Family and Their Times" (2016).

Edition details

• Publisher: Rock Street Press
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 13: 9798989416219
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 200