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William J. Blake

1894 – 1968

American writer and economist

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About William J. Blake

Lived 1894 – 1968 (aged 73–74). William J. Blake was an American economist, novelist and prose writer.

William James Blake (1894–1968) was an American broker, novelist and Marxist political economist. He was born Wilhelm James Blech in St Louis, Missouri to Rosa Sachs and surgeon and medical educator Gustavus M. Blech, M.D. His first marriage ended in divorce. In 1952 he married Australian novelist Christina Stead after the two had lived together for 28 years in various cities around the world.

Blake's writings included the 1941 novel, The Copperheads, a character-heavy study of intrigues in New York City during the American Civil War, and An American Looks at Karl Marx, an introduction to and criticism of Marxism.

In February 1968 Blake died of stomach cancer in London. Before his death he and Stead had planned a move to Australia. In 2005 a collection of the correspondence between Blake and Stead was published. Dearest Munx contains letters from 1928 to Blake's death in 1968.

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Important facts

Born
1894
Birth century
Died
1968
Nationality
Also known as
William Blake, William James Blake

People in William J. Blake's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped William J. Blake's

Frequently asked questions

Who was William J. Blake?

American writer and economist

When was William J. Blake born?

William J. Blake was born in 1894.

When did William J. Blake die?

William J. Blake died in 1968.

What was William J. Blake's occupation?

William J. Blake was an economist, novelist and prose writer.

What nationality was William J. Blake?

William J. Blake was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: William J. Blake

· Wikidata: Q15126738

· DBpedia: William J. Blake

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). William J. Blake. https://biography.guide/william-j-blake/

MLA: "William J. Blake." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/william-j-blake/.

Chicago: "William J. Blake." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/william-j-blake/.

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