Joseph Twadell Shipley (August 19, 1893 – May 11, 1988) was an American drama critic, author, editor and associate professor of English at Yeshiva College in New York City.

Early life Shipley graduated from City College in 1912. He received a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Columbia in 1931 with the thesis The quest for literature; a survey of literary criticism and the theories of the literary forms.

Academia Shipley taught English at Stuyvesant High School from 1914 to 1957, and also taught at City College and Brooklyn College. He was secretary to the president of Yeshiva college, assistant professor and then associate professor at Yeshiva college in the period 1928 to 1944 - "a member of the first faculty of Yeshiva College."

Literature Shipley became drama critic of The Call in 1918. The Call later became The New Leader and Shipley was drama critic in this paper until 1962. His theater reviews were broadcast on the radio station WEVD in New York on his program First Nights from 1940 to 1982. He was president of the New York Drama Critics’ Circle 1952-1954 and was secretary for the group for 16 years, until 1982.

He was the author or editor of 27 books. He published a book about Eugene O'Neill in 1928 and was among the first to write about O'Neill. His last book: Origins of English Words, was published in 1984 by Johns Hopkins University Press.

Shipley was an honorary overseas member of the Critics Circle in London, and was in 1977 awarded the Townsend Harris Medal by City College for his distinguished career in criticism.

Bibliography The bibliography is based on books registered with Library of Congress Online Catalog.

Author Title Edition Year Copyright year Comment Location: Publisher Notes The Art of Eugene O'Neill 1928 1928 Seattle: University of Washington Book Store The art of Eugene O'Neill, 1928 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Art of Eugene O'Neill 1974 1928 Folcroft, Pennsylvania: Folcroft Library Editions The art of Eugene O'Neill, 1974 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Art of Eugene O'Neill 1976 1928 Norwood, Pennsylvania: Norwood Editions The art of Eugene O'Neill, 1976 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Art of Eugene O'Neill 1977 1928 Philadelphia: R. West The art of Eugene O'Neill, 1977 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Auguste Rodin: A Biography 1939 1939 by Victor Frisch & Joseph T. Shipley New York: Frederick A. Stokes Co. Auguste Rodin, a biography, 1939 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Auguste Rodin: A Biography, in Spanish: 1945 1945 by Victor Frisch & Joseph T. Shipley Buenos Aires: Editorial Poseidón La vida y el arte de Auguste Rodin, 1945 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Crown Guide to the World's Great Plays, from Ancient Greece to Modern Times rev., updated ed. 1984 1984 rev. ed. of Guide to Great Plays, 1956. New York: Crown Publishers The Crown guide to the world's great plays, 1984 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Dictionary of Early English 1955 1955 with a pref. by Mark Van Doren New York: Philosophical Library Dictionary of early English, 1955 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Dictionary of Word Origins 1945 1945 New York: Philosophical Library Dictionary of word origins, 1945 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Dictionary of Word Origins 2nd ed. 1945 1945 New York: Philosophical Library Dictionary of word origins, 1945 2nd ed. in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Dictionary of Word Origins 2nd ed. 1969 1945 New York: Greenwood Press Dictionary of word origins, 1969 2nd ed. in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Guide to Great Plays 1956 1956 Washington, DC: Public Affairs Press Guide to great plays, 1956 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. In Praise of English: The Growth & Use of Language 1977 1977 New York: Times Books In praise of English, 1977 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. King John 1925 1925 New York: Greenberg King John, 1925 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Iiterary Isms 1931 1931 Seattle: University of Washington Book Store The literary isms, 1931 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Literary Isms 1978 1931 Norwood, Pennsylvania: Norwood Editions The literary isms, 1978 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Literary Isms 1977 1977 Folcroft, Pennsylvania: Folcroft Library Editions The literary isms, 1977 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Mentally Disturbed Teacher 1961 1961 Philadelphia: Chilton Co. The mentally disturbed teacher, 1961 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Origins of English Words: A Discursive Dictionary of Indo-European Roots 1984 1984 Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press The origins of English words, 1984 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Playing with Words 1960 1960 Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Playing with words, 1960 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The Quest for literature: A Survey of Literary Criticism and the Theories of the Literary Forms 1931 1931 New York: R. R. Smith, Inc. The quest for literature, 1931 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Trends in Literature 1949 1949 New York: Philosophical Library Trends in literature, 1949 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Word Games for Play and Power 1962 1962 Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Word games for play and power, 1962 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Word Play 1972 1972 New York: Hawthorn Books Word play, 1972 in Library of Congress Online Catalog.

Editor, translator and introductions Title Edition Dates Copyright years Comment Publisher Notes Albert Adès's A Naked King 1924 1924 translator, from French New York: A. & C. Boni Albert Adès' A naked king, 1924 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. The American Bookman vol. 1, nos. 1–2 Winter Fall 1944 1943-44 "a quarterly of criticism and theory of the public arts"; edited by Shipley and others New York: Philosophical Library The American bookman, 1943-44 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Dictionary of World Literature: Criticism, Forms, Technique 1943 1943 editor New York: Philosophical Library Dictionary of world literature, 1943 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Dictionary of World Literature: Criticism, Forms, Technique new rev. ed. 1953 1953 editor, with the collaboration of 250 scholars and other authorities New York: Philosophical Library Dictionary of world literature, 1953 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Dictionary of World Literary Terms, Forms, Technique, Criticism completely rev. & enl. ed. 1970 1970 editor Boston: Writer Dictionary of world literary terms, forms, technique, criticism, 1970 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Encyclopedia of Literature 1946 1946 editor New York: Philosophical Library Encyclopedia of literature, 1946 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Modern French Poetry: An Anthology 1926 1926 compiler & translator New York: Greenberg Modern French poetry, 1926 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Modern French Poetry: An Anthology 1972 1926 compiler & translator Plainview, New York: Books for Libraries Press Modern French poetry; an anthology, 1972 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Paul Éluard's Pablo Picasso () 1947 1947 translator, from French New York: Philosophical Library Paul Éluard's Pablo Picasso, 1947 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Ralph Cheyney's Touch and Go 1926 1926 introduction by Shipley New York: H. Harrison Ralph Cheyney's Touch and go, 1926 in Library of Congress Online Catalog. Roy Mitchell's The School-theatre: A Handbook of Theory and Practice 1925 1925 introduction by Shipley New York: Brentano's Roy Mitchell's The school-theatre, 1925 in Library of Congress Online Catalog.

Legacy Beyond his accomplishments in authoring, editing and translating 27 books, and his legacy at Yeshiva College, the New York Times obituary wrote about leaving behind his wife, sister and children, along with 19 grandchildren and 9 great-grandchldren.

References

External links Publisher-supplied biographical information about contributor(s) for The origins of English words : a discursive dictionary of Indo-European roots / Joseph T. Shipley. in the Library of Congress catalog. "Joseph T. Shipley" in WorldCat library catalog Archives containing material written by Joseph T. Shipley The development of Henrik Ibsen in George Bernard Shaw; a comparison and contrast. Shipley, Joseph T. (Joseph Twadell), 1893-1988. Masters essay. Columbia University. 1915. Archive registered with ArchiveGrid. Papers, 1917-1939. Shipley, Joseph T. (Joseph Twadell), 1893-1988. New York State Historical Documents, miscellaneous correspondence, poems, clippings, and printed material. Archive registered with ArchiveGrid. New Leader (New York, N.Y. : 1924). University of Pennsylvania - Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Correspondence with Theodore Dreiser from Joseph T. Shipley, Dramatic Critic, Edward Levinson, Asst. Editor, and Ben Blumberg, Advertising Dept., New Leader. Periodical published by New Leader Pub. Association. Archive registered with ArchiveGrid. Correspondence, 1923 - 44 - Joseph Shipley/ Allen Tate (Container List. Box 1 Fugitive Materials. 10. The Fugitive) SPECIAL COLLECTIONS Jean and Alexander Heard Library Vanderbilt University, Fugitive and Agrarian Collection Addition . MSS 622 Arranged and described in Spring/Summer 2010, Vanderbilt University Special Collections and University Archives.