The Life of James Agee

James Rufus Agee was born on November 27, 1909, in Knoxville, Tennessee. When he was five years old his father was instantly killed in a tragic automobile accident. Three years later, in 1916, Agee began his schooling at St. Andrews boarding school in Sewanee, Tennessee. In 1924, he returned to Knoxville to attend public high school, but after staying for only one year he finished his secondary education at Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire. After graduating, Agee then …

…caused by excessive drinking and smoking most likely induced by the stress of Agee's three failed marriages. After his death, his autobiographical novel A Death in the Family was published in 1957 and received the Pulitzer Prize in 1960. This novel contains Agee's deceptions on both religion and the early passing of his father, Hugh James Agee. By providing these beliefs, this society can better understand the emotions behind the tragically led life of James Rufus Agee.