Swanberg's Journey from Journalism to Scholarly Biography
The professional life of Swanberg was a testament to resilience and evolution. Starting with a desire to enter the world of daily news, his path instead wound through the challenges of the Great Depression, the pressures of wartime propaganda, and eventually, a distinguished career as a scholarly biographer.
Early Career Struggles and the Move to New York
Following his graduation, Swanberg initially sought a career in journalism. However, he found employment at local dailies, including the St. Paul Daily News and the Minneapolis Star, to be unsatisfactory. This dissatisfaction was compounded by the economic climate of the Great Depression, which caused newspaper staffs to shrink significantly.
For five years, Swanberg navigated a series of low-paying manual labor positions before relocating to New York City in September 1935 to join a college friend. After a period of difficult job-hunting, he secured an interview with George T. Delacorte Jr., the president of the Dell Publishing Company. Swanberg was hired as an assistant editor for three lowbrow magazines—publications typically aimed at a general audience with simpler tastes.
His ascent within the editorial hierarchy at Dell was steady. By 1939, his professional success allowed him to marry his college sweetheart, Dorothy Green, and purchase a home in Connecticut.
Wartime Service and the Office of War Information
When the United States entered World War II, Swanberg was 34 years old and a father of two. Due to a hearing disability, he was rejected by the U.S. Army. Undeterred, he enlisted in the Office of War Information (OWI), a government agency responsible for coordinating information and propaganda during the war.
Following his training, Swanberg was deployed to England after D-Day. Based in London during the V-1 and V-2 rocket attacks, he specialized in preparing and editing pamphlets. These documents were designed to be air-dropped behind enemy lines in France and Norway to support Allied efforts. He returned to the publishing world and Dell in October 1945.
Transition to Scholarly Biography
Upon his return from the war, Swanberg shifted his focus away from magazine editing, opting instead for freelance work. By 1953, he began dedicating time to research his first book, Sickles. The manuscript was purchased by Scribner's, marking the start of a long-term professional relationship with the publisher.
Although his early dreams of newspaper journalism never came to fruition, Swanberg established himself by the mid-1950s as a scholarly biographer—a writer who produces detailed, research-heavy accounts of a person's life. This work was incredibly labor-intensive, often requiring up to four years per project, even with the research and transcription assistance provided by his wife, Dorothy.
Swanberg remained dedicated to his craft into his later years. At age 80, in 1987, he began his final biographical project on William Eugene “Pussyfoot” Johnson (1862–1945). He was still working on this project when he passed away from heart failure at his typewriter in Southbury, Connecticut, on September 17, 1992.
Key Facts
- Early Career: Worked at the St. Paul Daily News and Minneapolis Star before moving to New York in 1935.
- Publishing: Rose through the ranks at Dell Publishing Company under George T. Delacorte Jr.
- Military Service: Served in the Office of War Information in London, creating air-dropped pamphlets for France and Norway.
- Literary Shift: Transitioned from editing to scholarly biography in the 1950s, starting with the book Sickles.
- Work Ethic: Biographies typically took four years to complete.
- Final Project: Was writing a biography of William Eugene “Pussyfoot” Johnson at the time of his death in 1992.
| Period/Year | Role/Activity | Key Organization/Project |
|---|---|---|
| Post-Graduation | Journalist / Manual Labor | St. Paul Daily News / Minneapolis Star |
| 1935 - 1943 | Assistant Editor to Editorial Ladder | Dell Publishing Company |
| 1943 - 1945 | Pamphlet Editor | Office of War Information (London) |
| 1953 - 1992 | Scholarly Biographer | Scribner's / Various Biographies |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Swanberg leave his initial journalism jobs?
Swanberg found his roles at the St. Paul Daily News and Minneapolis Star unsatisfactory, and the Great Depression caused staff reductions at these newspapers.
What was Swanberg's role during World War II?
Because a hearing disability prevented him from joining the Army, he joined the Office of War Information. He worked in London, editing pamphlets that were air-dropped behind enemy lines in Norway and France.
How long did it typically take Swanberg to write a biography?
His scholarly biographies were labor-intensive and generally required up to four years of work each, even with help from his wife, Dorothy.
Who was the subject of Swanberg's final, unfinished biography?
His final project was a biography of William Eugene “Pussyfoot” Johnson (1862–1945).
Which publishing house became a long-term partner for his books?
Scribner's became a long-term associate after purchasing his first book, Sickles.