My 2 cents...

(Please capitalize the titles of the books)

Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in Salem, Massachusetts on July 4th, 1804. Hawthorne*, kin of an extensive line of *Puritan descent, was forced (*against his will?????) to live with his mother, as his father was killed at sea at the age of four (1). He and his mother moved to Maine at the age of 14 (who was 14? he or his mother? ). In 1821, Hawthorne entered (you don't keep entering a college for 4 years in 1821) Bowdoin College, and decided that literature would be his life. After *graduating from Bowdoin, Hawthorne *wrote/published??? “*Fanshawe”, a novel *that failed, and continued to write short stories which were collected in *“twice-told tales” (*capitalize) (1). *Because of his lack of literary success, he was prompted to take a job at a custom house in Boston. Two years later, on July *9th, 1842, Nathaniel Hawthorne married *(simpler) Sophia Peabody (3). Shortly after being released from the Custom House (*you sound like he was in jail????), Hawthorne began his work on his infamous novel “The *Scarlet Letter.” After *months of writing, Hawthorne finished the final pages of his novel and read them to his wife. He wrote, "It broke her heart and sent her to bed with a grievous headache, which I look upon as a triumphant success." (1) (exact quotation).

After releasing the popular “the scarlet letter”*, Hawthorne retreated (retreated??? was it more quiet? in the countryside???) to a new home in Lenox, Boston. In Lenox he began and finished his work on “the house of seven gables” (1). Both “The Scarlet letter” and “the house of seven gables” revolved around the aftermath of Puritan society (*sounds odd. Do you mean residual Puritan influence in the society???) (4). After releasing the dismal “the blithedale romances” Hawthorne had begun working on another literary level*, writing campaign speeches and biographies for *his friend Franklin Pierce (1). In the same year that “the blithedale romances” *was released, Hawthorne also released “a wonder book” which *was geared toward a younger audience and was founded on Greek mythology (4). The following year, in 1853, Hawthorne released another book devoted *to children*: “the Tanglewood Tales.” Following a trip to Italy, Hawthorne released “The Marble Faun” in 1860 and died four years later at the age of 60.
While finishing his schooling at Bowdoin *College, Nathaniel Hawthorne made three new friends *who became his colleagues*: the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, President Franklin Pierce, and Horatio Bridge. With the help of Horatio Bridge, Hawthorne landed the job of weigher and gauger at the Boston Custom House after college. Hawthorne also helped Franklin Pierce by writing his campaign ads and speeches after he had completed “the blithedale romances” (6).

Nathaniel Hawthorne was known for his superb style (*be specific) and writing of short stories (*lack of parallel). With the help of *his friend Horatio Bridge, Hawthorne was able to land a publisher for his short stories aptly named the “twice-told tales.” The “twice-told tales” *was a collection of his short stories compiled into a two*-volume selection. This was the first time Hawthorne coupled his name with his short stories. (7) Previous short stories which included “My Kinsman, Major Molineux”, “The Minister’s Black Veil”, and “Young Goodman Brown”, written by Hawthorne, *were published under a fake name. (6). Much like “The Scarlet Letter” and “The House of Seven Gables”*, Hawthorne’s “Ethan Brand” was formed under the settings of Puritan aftermath and society(*sounds odd). Two famous authors, Herman Melville and Edgar Allen Poe*, both reviewed and commented on Hawthorne’s short stories. Melville’s comments were positive on Hawthorne’s “Mosses from an old Manse”, while Edgar Allen Poe’s review on “Twice-told stories” left a different and *not-so-good feeling.(7)