Gertrude Stein was born near Pittsburgh, PA to affluent Jewish parents, Daniel and Amelia Stein on 3rd February 1874. Gertrude attended Harvard and was a student of imminent psychologist William James who declared her his best ever female student and there she began to write in a style very much like a stream of consciousness. In Paris she and her brother Leo became great collectors of Modern art before an acrimonious split. Always the darling of creative society she now decamped to live with her lover Alice. By 1932 she had achieved best-seller fame and continued to nurture and inspire young writers. However she remained in Europe during the War and this led to great disappointment amongst both her friends and enemies. Her work still continues to ignite controversy which is perhaps part of her lasting legacy. Gertrude Stein died on 27th July, 1946 and is buried in Paris.
