Upton Sinclair

Upton Beall Sinclair (September 20, 1878 - November 25, 1968) was a prolific (90 books) American author who wrote in many genres, often advocating Socialist views, and achieved considerable popularity in the first half of the twentieth century. He gained particular fame for his novel, The Jungle (1906), which dealt with conditions in the U.S. meat packing industry and caused a public uproar that ultimately led to the passage of the Meat Inspection Act in 1906. However the main point of the novel, The Jungle, was lost on the public. He wrote to demonstrate the inhuman conditions of the workers and the exploitation of the wage earner under capitalism. But, at least the fame and fortune he gained from publishing The Jungle enabled him to write books on almost every issue of social justice in the 20th century.

Family background

His parents came from the Southern gentry, and his father's family had a distinguished naval tradition stretching back to the American Revolution. Upton Sinclair was born in Baltimore, Maryland. His great-grandfather, Commodore Arthur Sinclair (died 1831), served in the War of 1812. His grandfather, Captain Arthur Sinclair, served first in the United States Navy then resigned to join the Confederate service. When Sinclair was arrested in California for reading the U.S. Constitution in public, he commented that his great-grandfather and he both defended the constitution, Commodore Sinclair the U.S.S. Constitution , and Upton the U.S. Constitution.

Related Topics:
American Revolution - Arthur Sinclair - 1831 - War of 1812 - United States Navy - Confederate

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