Paul B. Lowney
Encyclopedia
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and humorist. He wrote 29 books and three comic strips, most mixing humor, philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
, and whimsical illustrations by his frequent collaborator Frank Renlie. Saturday Review described his work by saying, "Sometimes Lowney makes you think and then laugh; and sometimes he makes you laugh and then think."
He also authored non-fiction works on Seattle and his experiences growing up in Butte
Butte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
during the 1930s.
Biography
Paul Lowney was born and raised in ButteButte, Montana
Butte is a city in Montana and the county seat of Silver Bow County, United States. In 1977, the city and county governments consolidated to form the sole entity of Butte-Silver Bow. As of the 2010 census, Butte's population was 34,200...
, Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
, fourth and youngest child of Lithuanian Jewish
Lithuanian Jews
Lithuanian Jews or Litvaks are Jews with roots in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania:...
parents. He graduated from Butte High School and the University of Montana, where he majored in sociology
Sociology
Sociology is the study of society. It is a social science—a term with which it is sometimes synonymous—which uses various methods of empirical investigation and critical analysis to develop a body of knowledge about human social activity...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
. In Seattle, he took graduate studies in philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
at the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he served three years in the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
as an overseas field correspondent
Correspondent
A correspondent or on-the-scene reporter is a journalist or commentator, or more general speaking, an agent who contributes reports to a newspaper, or radio or television news, or another type of company, from a remote, often distant, location. A foreign correspondent is stationed in a foreign...
for Yank, the Army Weekly
Yank, the Army Weekly
Yank, the Army Weekly was a weekly magazine published by the United States military during World War II. The idea for the magazine came from Egbert White, who had worked on Stars and Stripes during World War I. He proposed the idea to the Army in early 1942, and accepted a commission as Lieutenant...
.
After leaving the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
in Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, he became a staff writer for the American Red Cross
American Red Cross
The American Red Cross , also known as the American National Red Cross, is a volunteer-led, humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief and education inside the United States. It is the designated U.S...
at their national headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
He moved back to Seattle and worked as a civilian information officer for the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and then the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
. During this time he was commissioned a First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
, Military Intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
, in the Army Reserve
United States Army Reserve
The United States Army Reserve is the federal reserve force of the United States Army. Together, the Army Reserve and the Army National Guard constitute the reserve components of the United States Army....
.
Later, under contract to The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
, he wrote a weekly humor feature for 11 years and also authored several pieces for national magazines.
He also founded Lowney Advertising and Crown & Lurie Publishers, both based in Seattle.
Writing career
In his senior year at Butte High School, Paul Lowney wrote a humor column for his school paper, The Mountaineer, and has been writing humor ever since. Someone asked him how he happened to get into writing and he said, “When I was eight, I found a small pencil in my Cracker JackCracker Jack
Cracker Jack is a U.S. brand of snack consisting of strong molasses flavored candy-coated popcorn and peanuts, well known for being packaged with a prize of nominal value inside. Some food historians consider it the first junk food...
box and I didn't want to throw it away.”
His humor has appeared in Parade, Saturday Review, Reader's Digest, and in scores of newspapers through his syndication with the Los Angeles Times Syndicate
Los Angeles Times Syndicate
The Los Angeles Times Syndicate and the Los Angeles Times Syndicate International are newspaper syndicates which sold more than 140 features in more than 100 countries around the world....
, Copley News Service, and the Pacific Media Group.
For 11 years, his humor panel, Gleeb, appeared in The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times
The Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
.
His hardback humor books issued by New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
publishers include Gleeb, The Big Book of Gleeb, Offbeat Humor, The Best of Offbeat Humor, and The Love Game.
His non-fiction book, At Another Time — Growing up in Butte, is in its ninth printing.
Books
- At Another Time: Growing up in Butte, with Seattle Supplement, ninth edition, hardcoverHardcoverA hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
(2007) - Especially for Bright People: A Book of Humor and Think (2006)
- Ergo1: A Classic Little Book of Thoughts & Laughter (2002)
- The Love and Dating Game (2002)
- At Another Time: Growing up in Butte, with Seattle Supplement (2002)
- At Another Time: Growing up in Butte (2000)
- Little Lessons from Life, My Professors & My Jewish Mother (1999)
- Toads (1997)
- The Best in Offbeat Humor II: An eclectic work (1996)
- The Pocket Gleeb (1991)
- The Love Game (1988)
- The Best of Gleeb (1982)
- Gleeb VI: The best "Gleebs" from the Seattle Times (1981)
- Gleeb V (1978)
- Gleeb IV (1976)
- The Big Book of Gleeb (1975)
- Seattle: The nation's most beautiful city (1973)
- Gleeb (1973)
- Seattle, nation's most beautiful city (1968)
- The Best of Offbeat Humor (1968)
- No charge for dreaming (1966)
- The world's funniest offbeat humor (1965)
- No charge for dreaming: An unusual little book of sense, nonsense and laughter (1963)
- Scenic Seattle (1962)
- Offbeat Humor (1962)
- Seattle: The nation's most beautiful city (1961)
- This is Hydroplaning (1959)
- Washington, America's most scenic state (1957)
- I'm at North Fort Lewis (1954)
Comic Strips
- Toads (1997), weekly strip
- Gleeb (1981-85), weekly panel syndicated by the Los Angeles Times SyndicateLos Angeles Times SyndicateThe Los Angeles Times Syndicate and the Los Angeles Times Syndicate International are newspaper syndicates which sold more than 140 features in more than 100 countries around the world....
and Copley News Service - The Pookas (1977-78), weekly strip