*Norman, James: * - Chicago native James Norman Schmidt worked as a journalist before joining the International Brigades to fight the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War. He went on to cover the US army during WWII (winning a Bronze Star for his extracurricular work ferrying supplies to Philippine g...

*Norman, James: * - Chicago native James Norman Schmidt worked as a journalist before joining the International Brigades to fight the Fascists in the Spanish Civil War. He went on to cover the US army during WWII (winning a Bronze Star for his extracurricular work ferrying supplies to Philippine guerrillas in the jungle) and was working, after the war, as a successful Hollywood scriptwriter when he was blacklisted. He moved to Mexico and taught there for many years, before moving to Athens, OH, to take a position on the faculty of Ohio University. He died in Athens, in 1983, having written more than a dozen books, both novels and non-fiction, as well as the trilogy of murder mysteries featuring Gimiendo Hernandez Quinto.