Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Happy Birthday, Wallace Stegner
Today is the birthday of one of my favorite authors, Wallace Stegner. Born in 1909, Stegner helped create a genre of literary fiction that, while not strictly grounded in natural history, placed its characters in real landscapes that became important parts of the story. From the West (The Big Rock Candy Mountain) to the East (Crossing to Safety), Stegner used landscapes from his own life's experience almost as additional characters in his stories. In a very real sense, he was a true practitioner of natural history through is detailed practice of observation.
Wallace Stegner passed away in 1993. His absence is still felt today.
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2 comments:
Greetings from Italy,good luck
Hello,Marlow
I completely agree about Stegner's importance, and also consider him an insightful naturalist. His close observation of landscapes, people, and the interactions between the two provides a great model. And of course he was a masterful craftsman of the written word.
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