Portrait of Jennie (novella)

Portrait of Jennie is a novel by American writer Robert Nathan, first published in 1940.[1] This story combines romance, fantasy, mystery, and the supernatural. The most successful of Nathan's books, it is considered a modern masterpiece of fantasy fiction.

Portrait of Jennie
First US edition
AuthorRobert Nathan
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
GenreMystery, fantasy, supernatural
PublisherA. A. Knopf (US)
The Ryerson Press (Canada)
Publication date
1940
Media typePrint (Hardcover)
Pages212
Preceded byWinter in April 
Followed byThey Went on Together 

Judith Merril called Portrait of Jennie "one of the most durable successes in the fantasy business,"[2] and Ray Bradbury wrote of the book, "It touched and frightened me when I was twenty-four. Now, once more, it touches and frightens."[2]

Plot summary

A struggling Depression-era artist encounters a young girl in a park who inspires him to paint portraits instead of landscapes. As he repeatedly encounters the girl, each time she is several years older, and is apparently "slipping through time."

Adaptations in other media

A half-hour radio adaptation of the novella was presented in 1946 on the CBS Radio show Academy Award Theater, with Joan Fontaine and John Lund.[3]

The film rights to the book were obtained by David O. Selznick,[4] and in 1948 he produced a film starring Jennifer Jones and Joseph Cotten.

In addition, Lux Radio Theatre presented an hour-long adaptation of the film on October 31, 1949, again starring Joseph Cotten, but this time Anne Baxter in the role of Jennie.

References

  1. Library of Congress Web. Accessed 18 Aug 2009
  2. Portrait of Jenny entry, Fantastic Fiction. Accessed Feb. 7, 2014.
  3. Terrace, Vincent (1999). Radio Programs, 1924–1984: A Catalog of Over 1800 Shows. Jefferson, NC: McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-0351-9.
  4. Thomson, David. Showman: The Life of David O. Selznick (Knopf, 1992).
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