Edmund Schiddel

Edmund Schiddel wrote controversial fiction that dealt with the dark side of human nature. He set his novels in Bucks County, often focusing on the broadcast industry. Schiddel's most famous work was his Bucks County Trilogy, which consists of The Devil in Bucks County, Scandal's Child, and The Good and Bad Weather. The first of these satirizes life in an artist's colony, presumably New Hope. The book ridicules the gossip, hypocrisy, and erotic lifestyle of Bucks County residents. The second novel of the trilogy focuses on a private school in the area. Common character types in Schiddel's novels include the successful Manhattan businessman who commutes to and from the city, the bored society wife, the reclusive artist, and the local resident. Many citizens of New Hope objected to Schiddel's picture of life along the Delaware River.

Education and Training
B.A., College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, 1933

Teachers and Influences
John O'Hare, Gertrude Stein, Alice Toklas

Connection to Bucks County
Schiddel was a resident of New Hope that satirized the New Hope art colony in his trilogy of novels. His long-time companion was Bucks County artist Beveridge Moore.

Colleagues and Affiliations
Josephine Herbst, Glenway Wescott, Beveridge Moore

Novels and Short Stories
Scratch the Surface, 1939
The Other Side of the Night, 1954
Break-Up, 1954
The Girl with the Golden Yo-Yo, 1955
Safari to Dishonor, 1956
Love in a Hot Climate, 1957
The Bucks County Trilogy: The Devil in Bucks County, 1959, adapted for film
The Bucks County Trilogy: Scandal's Child, 1963, adapted for film
The Bucks County Trilogy: The Good and Bad Weather, 1965
The Devil's Summer, 1965
The Swing, 1975
Good Time Coming
Bad Boy, 1982
Wrote short stories for Mademoiselle and Town & Country
Wrote poetry for Tone magazine

Teaching and Professional Appointments
Department of Labor, Statistician, New York, 1933-1935
Radio and TV scriptwriter and producer, 1935-1939
Self-employed writer, 1939-1982

Major Awards
Chevalier du Merite Culturel et Artistique Francais