Harold L. Humes: The Eccentric Legacy of a Literary Pioneer
Harold Louis "Doc" Humes Jr. was a man of profound contradictions: a founding editor of one of the world's most prestigious literary journals, a promising novelist, and eventually, a nomadic "campus guru" known for his erratic behavior and deep erudition. His life spanned the heights of the mid-century intellectual scene and the depths of psychological collapse, leaving behind a legacy that blends literary achievement with a cautionary tale of mental illness.
Key Facts
- Founding Role: Co-founded The Paris Review, a seminal literary journal.
- Literary Works: Authored the novels The Underground City (1958) and Men Die (1959).
- Nickname: Known as "Doc," a moniker derived from a character in the Buck Rogers comic strip.
- Education: Attended MIT and earned an Adjunct of Arts from Harvard University in 1954.
- Later Life: Spent decades as a self-appointed visiting professor at various elite universities.
Early Life and Education
Born on May 11, 1926, in Douglas, Arizona, Humes was the son of a chemical engineer and a mother from Montreal. Raised in Princeton, New Jersey, he attended Princeton High School, where his classmates gave him the nickname "Doc" after the brilliant but eccentric scientist Doc Huer from the Buck Rogers comics.
Humes's early adult years were marked by a restless pursuit of knowledge and experience. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and served a stint in the United States Navy. In 1948, he left the military and moved to Paris, a city that would become central to his professional identity.
The Literary Ascent and The Paris Review
While in Paris, Humes owned an English-language magazine called The Paris News Post. It was during this period that he recruited Peter Matthiessen as literary editor—unaware at the time that Matthiessen was working for the CIA. Together, they founded The Paris Review, a journal that would become a cornerstone of literary criticism and interviews. They later brought in George Plimpton, who led the publication for fifty years.
Upon returning to the United States, Humes furthered his studies in fiction writing under Archibald MacLeish at the Harvard Extension School, graduating with an Adjunct of Arts degree in 1954.
Humes quickly gained recognition as a rising star in American letters. He published two novels through Random House: The Underground City (1958) and Men Die (1959). His talent was such that Esquire magazine listed him alongside renowned writers like John Updike and William Styron as one of the nation's most promising young novelists.
A Polymath's Diversions
Beyond literature, Humes engaged in a wide array of eclectic projects. He directed a film titled Don Peyote and attempted to solve housing shortages by designing and building a paper house. His professional history also includes several years spent working as a meteorologist in London.
Humes was deeply embedded in the cultural zeitgeist of the era. He managed the spoken-word artist Lord Buckley and served as the campaign manager for Norman Mailer's first run for mayor of New York City. He also ventured into theoretical science, writing a 1964 paper titled "Bernoulli's Epitaph," which proposed that the universe is shaped like a spherical vortex.
Psychological Decline and the "Campus Guru" Years
The trajectory of Humes's life shifted dramatically in 1966. While in London, he took large quantities of LSD provided by Timothy Leary. The experience triggered a descent into paranoia and delusions, after which Humes ceased publishing his writing.
By 1969, Humes had returned to the U.S. and reinvented himself as a "guru on campus." He spent the next twenty years as a self-appointed visiting professor, drifting between institutions including Columbia University, Princeton University, Bennington College, Monmouth University, and Harvard University. He survived on the support of his family and students who were drawn to his mixture of high intelligence and mental instability.
During this period, Humes was known for sharing delusional theories, such as the F.I.D.O. computer system (a supposed government underground maze) and "lenticular" clouds that he claimed were heat sinks for UFOs. Despite his instability, he occasionally showed flashes of his former self; in May 1970, he famously persuaded a crowd of enraged students at Princeton to avoid burning down an ROTC building following the Kent State shootings.
Final Years and Legacy
Humes's personal life was equally turbulent. He married Anna Lou Elianoff in 1954, with whom he had four daughters, before divorcing in 1966. He later had two sons, one in Italy in 1968 and another in 1977 with cellist Glynis Lomonn.
Harold L. Humes died of prostate cancer on September 10, 1992, in New York City. Following his death, a Freedom of Information Act request filed by his daughter, Immy Humes, revealed that the U.S. government had spied on him from 1948 to 1977, suggesting that some of his paranoid fears may have been grounded in reality.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Major Achievement | Co-founder of The Paris Review |
| Published Novels | The Underground City, Men Die |
| Education | MIT (incomplete), Harvard University (Adjunct of Arts) |
| Key Associates | Peter Matthiessen, George Plimpton, Timothy Leary, Norman Mailer |
| Lifespan | May 11, 1926 – September 10, 1992 |
Frequently Asked Questions
What was Harold L. Humes's contribution to literature?
Humes was a founding editor of The Paris Review and wrote two novels, The Underground City and Men Die, which earned him recognition as one of the most promising young novelists of his time.
Why was he called "Doc"?
He earned the nickname in high school after "Doc Huer," a brilliant but eccentric scientist character from the Buck Rogers comic strip.
What caused the change in his mental health?
In 1966, Humes took large amounts of LSD given to him by Timothy Leary in London, which led to paranoia and delusional episodes, effectively ending his professional writing career.
Did the government actually spy on him?
Yes. A Freedom of Information Act request revealed that the U.S. government monitored Humes from 1948 until 1977.
What was the "campus guru" phase?
After 1969, Humes lived on or near the campuses of several Ivy League and liberal arts colleges, acting as a self-appointed visiting professor and relying on the fascination of students and the support of his family.