Norman Beasley


Norman Beasley was an American journalist and author, best known for writing biographies. He also served in the United States Army as a Colonel.

Early life and career

Norman Beasley was born in Detroit, Michigan, where his parents had moved just before his birth.
Beasley's writing career began after graduating from Detroit College of Law, working as a journalist for The Detroit Journal, and later for The Dearborn News. The same year he joined the Detroit Journal, he also had his first and only child, named Norman Baird. Norman Beasley was a member of the Presbyterian church.
He began writing books on history in the late 1920's, publishing Men, money, and motors: the drama of the automobile through Harper & Brothers in 1929. His biographical works would include books on William S. Knudsen, Frank Knox, Mary Baker Eddy, and Carter Glass, which was co-written with Rixey Smith.

Works

Beasley's book on William Knudsen, a leading automotive industry executive and general during World War II, is the only book-length work focused solely him and covering his entire life, and contains an introduction by Knudsen himself. However, other books exist focusing on Knudsen's work at Ford Motor Company. The book was authorized by the Knudsen family shortly before Knudsen's death. It was reprinted in 2011 by Literary Licensing, LLC.
Beasley's writings on The First Church of Christ, Scientist are notable for two reasons. First, they are among a handful of books on the subject neither written by a member of the church nor by someone attacking the church, but, as one review puts it, "dispassionately" from a historical perspective. Secondly, the historical accounts do not end where most historical accounts end in 1910 with the passing of founder Mary Baker Eddy, but continue into the 1950's and cover the growth of the church doing that period. He wrote three books covering the topic, they are not authorized church literature sold in the church's Reading Rooms however.

Published works