Evening star., 1946-07-28
Woollcott and Bennett Cert praised
her literary style and influence.
Exerted Strons Influences.


her literary style and influence.
Exerted Strong Influences.
"A rose is a rose is a rose" be-
came a household expression, not
only because it was one of the ear
liest of her prose style, but because
it typified, as she once explained,
her method of writing not so much
for the ear as for the eye"
Admirers as well as critics Of
Miss Stein as an author came to
agree that she exerted great influ-
ence on literary trends. 1t was
more than an influence which re-
suited In unskilled imitation. It
played a considerable part in mod
ern literature, just as her recogni-
ton of such painters as Picasso and
Matisse was considerably ahead of
many of today's most vocal cham
pions of those modernists.
Miss STEMS interest and promi-
nence was no sudden development.
She was born February 8, 1874. In
Allegheny, Pa, now a part of Pitts
burgh, in a family of sound cultural
background. She lived for a time
in San Francisco, graduated from
Radcliffe College, and came within
one examination mark of winning
a degree from Johns Hopkins Medi-
cal School.
In France During Both Wars.
Early in the century she went to
France and except for brief ex-
cursions elsewhere, remained with
the French people during two wars.
She not only shared their hard
ships, but during the last war she
actively aided the underground
movement in and around Lyon while
Germans occupied the 15-room
chateau where she and her faithful
friend, Alice B. Toklas, lived. There
the American 7th Army liberated
them and a Star war correspondent
interviewed them in September of
1914.
Because of her great vitality and
the fact that her creative writing
powers never seemed to diminish,
her death came as a shock. Hospi-
tai officials did not disclose the ma
ture Of her illness or how long she
had been in the hospital.
She died convinced and proud
that she was first OF all an American.
Never Called an Expatriate.
"One thing, for all the time !
have been in France, have never
been called an expatriate, and that
I am proud of. I proved you could
be a good American anywhere in
the world" she declared several
months ago.
Miss Stein, whose short, stocky
figure and booming voice gave
the impression of great physical
strength, began to write at Rad
cnffe. Her finished book was
Three Lives" In 1909. Meanwhile
when she was joined by Miss Toklas
in 1907, she was working on "The
Making of Americans" a 1000 page
novel which gave full play to al
most endless sentences and lover
and over again" words.
Most publishers were reluctant
to accept Stein scripts for years be-
fore and after World War I. Mis-:
Stein and Miss Toklas decided tc
be their own publishing firm. Among
the first works they put out soor
after the World War was the book
version Of the opera, -Four Saint:
| ir, Tbroa Aetso
Wrote Toklas autobiography"
Among her more than 20 other
major works, mostly with tantaliz.
ing titles, were Tender Buttons,
Acquaintance with Description,
Lucy Church Amiably," Faded
Friendship Faded" THE Works Is
Round" and How to Write"
One of the best known and easiest
to read was The Autobiography OF
Alice B. Toklas." This was regarded
as the liveliest and most penetrating
description of the Paris Left Bank
1t helped Miss Stein achieve a long
cherished ambition to appear in the
Atlantic Monthly"
The book nevertheless aroused
storms of protest, largely because OF
gossipy comments on former friends
and others in artistic and literary
circles. Miss Stein came back with
"Everybody's Autobiography" to an.
swer the criticism.
Found United States Charming.
On her American tour in 1884
she reported that she found thi.
country charming, the cities lively
the food good, the hotels luxurious
and the landscape magnificent. Shs
said she lost her heart in the hear
of Texas. She thought Virginia peo.
ple lived too much in the past.
What she thought of Washington