Eugene Field, a Study in Heredity and Contradictions

In Short

Slason Thompson provides an intimate, affectionate biography of his close friend and fellow Chicago journalist, Eugene Field. Covering Field’s eccentric personal habits, his rise through daily journalism, his literary successes, and his eventual death, Thompson traces how Field balanced sharp satiric columns with tender lullabies and verse. Rather than painting a saintly portrait of the famed "poet of childhood," Thompson details Field's playful hoaxes, private quirks, mania for collecting obscure antiques, and complex personality, preserving the memory of a colorful, deeply contradictory figure in American literature.

The Story

The biography opens by examining the personal and professional ties between Slason Thompson and Eugene Field during their years working in Chicago journalism. From the outset, Thompson establishes that Field was a man of distinct, often absurd whims. He insisted on writing his manuscripts and letters using an array of colored inks—demanding gold, silver, bronze, lake-white, and rainbow hues—and frequently sent elaborate, rhyming notes across the newspaper office to demand supplies, postage stamps, or companionship.

Thompson moves through Field’s career as a columnist, focusing heavily on his work for the Chicago Daily News, where Field produced his popular daily column, "Sharps and Flats." Field maintained a relentless work ethic, generating thousands of words a day even while vacationing in Wisconsin or traveling abroad. The narrative traces Field’s broad range of interests reflected in his writing: a passionate devotion to baseball, particularly his adoration of player Michael J. Kelly; playful commentary on local political figures; and satirical lampoons of prominent Chicagoans. Thompson reveals that behind Field's whimsical public persona lay an industrious writer who took pride in producing a column of original verse every single day.

As Field's literary reputation grew, he published his first collection of writings and embarked on trips to Europe. In London, despite severe financial limitations and poor health, he immersed himself in the historic atmosphere, attending sight-seeing spots with his children and pining for rare books and knick-knacks he could barely afford. His return to America marked an intensification of his lifelong "bibliomania" and passion for collecting antiques, rag dolls, prints, and outlandish curiosities, which eventually filled his Chicago home, "The Sabine Farm." Thompson takes care to dismantle popular misconceptions about Field, particularly the sentimental image built around his famous children's poems like "Little Boy Blue." Thompson candidly reveals that Field "did not love all children," but rather studied childhood emotions with analytical, almost scientific detachment, sometimes deliberately scaring or teasing children to observe their genuine reactions.

In his final years, Field suffered from persistent health struggles, including severe nervous dyspepsia, yet he remained an affectionate father and a vibrant center of Chicago's literary scene, often holding court in bookshops alongside fellow writers and clergymen. The book culminates in Field's early death and burial at Graceland Cemetery, accompanied by tributes from friends, colleagues, and readers across the country, before concluding with an appendix showcasing Field's literary hoaxes and fabricated book reviews.

How It Unfolds

The daily grind and colored inks Thompson describes his early workplace interactions with Field, illustrating Field's relentless habit of writing rhymed requests for colored inks, postage stamps, and small favors in elaborate, multi-colored scripts.

Life in the newsroom The narrative covers Field’s daily productivity writing "Sharps and Flats" for the Chicago Daily News, where he penned satire, sports commentary praising baseball star Michael J. Kelly, and original poetry under tight deadlines.

Travels and financial strain Field travels to Europe with his family, struggling with limited funds in London while placing his children in school and hunting through bookshops and antique stalls despite his lean budget.

The collector's obsession Back in Chicago, Field establishes "The Sabine Farm," filling two stories of his home with rare books, pewter mugs, prints, and odd relics such as Charles A. Dana's editorial shears and William Gladstone's axe.

Dismantling the myth Thompson explores Field's true nature as an author, revealing his detached, analytical approach to child psychology and explaining how his famous lullabies sprang from deliberate study rather than generalized affection for all children.

The final curtain The narrative records Field's battle with failing health, his quiet family life, and his sudden death, ending with his funeral, interment at Graceland Cemetery, and a collection of his humorous, invented book reviews.

The People

• Eugene Field: The subject of the biography; a brilliant, mischievous Chicago columnist, poet, and collector who wants to master every form of versification while indulging his passion for oddities, though his poor health and chronic lack of money constantly impede him.
• Slason Thompson: The author and Field's close friend; a fellow journalist who acts as Field's frequent straight man, funding source for postage stamps, and recipient of endless decorated letters.
• Julia Field: Field's wife; a patient woman who manages their household, travels to Europe to settle their children, and endured periods of illness alongside her husband.
• Michael J. Kelly: A famous baseball player for the Chicago "White Stockings"; Field admires his athletic skill on the diamond and ceaselessly champions him in print over politicians.
• Herman H. Kohlsaat: A Chicago editor and political figure whom Field repeatedly victimizes with absurd, published political hoaxes that trigger genuine outrage from Southern newspapers.

In Its Own Voice

When requesting basic supplies from Thompson, Field couched his mundane needs in elaborate verse:

"No better, sweeter boon I pray / Than thy affection--by the way, / Hast thou a stamp to lend?"

Writing from a summer retreat, Field revealed his pragmatic view of literary creation to a friend:

"I want to dip around in all sorts of versification, simply to show people that determination and perseverance can accomplish much in this direction. You know that I do not set much store by 'genius.'"

Addressing the romanticized view readers held of his love for youth, Field offered a blunt confession:

"I do not love all children. I have tried to analyze my feelings toward children, and I think I discover that I love them in so far as I can make pets of them."

What It's Really About

At its core, this biography explores the sharp divide between a writer's public myth and his private reality. Thompson set out to show that the gentle, sentimental author of beloved nursery rhymes was, in daily life, a calculating craftsman, a relentless practical joker, and an eccentric eccentric. The book examines the chaotic nature of 19th-century American journalism, where levity, personal feuds, and fabricated news stories were routinely mixed with serious political commentary. Furthermore, Thompson delves into the psychology of obsession, documenting how Field's compulsive collecting of books and bizarre knick-knacks served as an outlet for an overly active, restless mind seeking refuge from the relentless demands of daily deadlines.

Why Read It Today

Modern readers interested in the history of American journalism, 19th-century literary culture, or the real lives of popular historical figures will find Thompson's biography a fascinating study. Rather than presenting a dry chronological account, the book feels like an informal, affectionate memoir filled with original letters, newsroom anecdotes, and Field's own spontaneous drawings. It offers a authentic glimpse into late-Victorian media culture, revealing how popular writers built their careers through sheer hustle, personal networking, and daily output.

Readers should be aware of certain period challenges. The biography contains lengthy transcriptions of 19th-century political satire, hyper-local newspaper banter, and regional dialect verse that can feel dense or dated to a modern audience. Additionally, Field's casual irreverence toward public figures and local customs reflects the unfiltered, sharp-tongued tone of era newsrooms. Nevertheless, Thompson's writing carries a warm, clear, and unpretentious quality. What remains with the reader is a memorable portrait of an enigmatic American original—a hardworking journalist who used humor, eccentricities, and meticulous craftsmanship to navigate the pressures of his trade.