James Farl Powers (July 8, 1917 - June 12, 1999) was a Roman Catholic American novelist and short-story writer who often drew his inspiration from developments in the Catholic Church, and was known for his studies of Catholic priests in the Midwest, although he was not a priest himself. He was born in Jacksonville, Illinois to a devout Catholic family, and graduated from Quincy College Academy, a Franciscan high school. He took English and philosophy courses at Wright Junior College and at Northwestern University in Chicago, but did not earn a degree.
Powers was a conscientious objector during World War II, and went to prison for it. His book Prince of Darkness and Other Stories appeared in 1947. His story "The Valiant Woman" received the O. Henry Award in 1947. The Presence of Grace (1956) was also a collection of short stories. His first novel was Morte d'Urban (1962), which won the 1963 National Book Award for Fiction.
Powers died on June 12, 1999.
030