Southwest: Region Five
Harrison, Jim (James Thomas)
Dec. 11, 1937 –
Place of Birth: Grayling, MI
Place of Principle Residence: summer – Livingston, MT : winter – Patagonia, AZ
Bibliography:
Jim Harrison grew up roaming the woods in northern Michigan with his parents Winfield (a county agricultural agent) and Norma. At age seven his left eye was blinded by a piece of glass, an event he now attributes to his desire to stay outdoors in nature as a form of comfort. When a young man, Harrison set off to make his own way in the world, as his family was financially strained with five children. He earned his bachelor’s degree at Michigan State University in 1960 and married his wife, Linda, with whom he has been with for over forty years. In 1964 Harrison got his Master’s at State University of New York. He worked as an assistant professor in English in 1965, but quickly concluded he was “temperamentally unsuited” to teaching. In 1966 Harrison moves back with his wife and newborn daughter to northern Michigan and supported his family through freelance journalism and manual labor. Eventually, his poetry brought him to the attention of major reviewers that in turn led to the release of his first book, Wolf, in 1971. Although his book Farmer, published in 1976, did not initially enjoy much success, his subsequent trilogy Legends of the Fall was a great commercial success and was later made into a film. Harrison also works as an artist, and in addition has taken up screenwriting. Critics have noted Harrison’s desire to preserve the South and rural America both in his art and writing. Harrison recently moved from his northern Michigan home and now spends his summers in Minnesota and his winters in Arizona.
Selected Works:
- Plain Song (1965)
- Out of the War Shadow: an Anthology of Current Poetry (1967)
- Locations (1968)
- Un Bon Jour pour Mourir (1973)
- Sundog : The Story of an American Foreman, Robert Corvus Strang (1984)
- Julip (1994)
- The Beast God Forgot to Invent (2000)
- True North (2004)
Awards
- 1967-1969 National Endowment for the Arts Grants
- 1969-1970 Guggenheim fellowship
- 2007 Michigan Notable Book Award for Saving Daylight
- Two awards from National Literary Anthology
Critical reception:
New York Times has praised Wolf: A False Memoir as “…a raunchy, funny, swaggering, angry, cocksure book; it is also a poignant, handsomely-written self-exploration…” Harrion’s book Legends of the Fall has enjoyed particular attention, being made into a movie starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins. True North has received mixed reviews, but Gordon Hauptfleisch (editor of Blogcritics Books and book reviewer for San Diego Union Tribune) wrote, “still, if Harrison’s newest work is flawed an uneven, it is nevertheless a rich and satisfying read for the strenuously poetic passages detailing not only the complexities, quirks, and intricacies of human emotions and interactions, but also for conveying a solid sense of place.”
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work:
Growing up in northern Michigan has been strongly attributed by Harrison to influencing his writing. As a child he enjoyed hunting and fishing and spent many days roaming the woods. This is clearly represented in much of his writing is rural in nature. In addition, Harrison has developed a strong love of the South and rural America. While living in northern Michigan as an adult, Harrison wrote in an old granary on his property. His love for nature has never faded.
Lardner, Ring
March 6, 1885 - September 35, 1933
Place of Birth: Niles, MI
Biography:
Wilmer Ringold Lardner was born to Lena and Henry Lardner in Niles, MI in 1885. Despite a physical disability, Lardner participated in sports, particularly baseball, which later manifested to being a sports writer later on in his life. Early on Lardner had an interest in music, theatricals, and writing, composing his high school class’ poem that was published in the Daily Star. Lardner briefly attended Armour Institute of Technology for engineering, but dropped out and worked a variety of jobs before landing work as a reporter for the South Bend Times in 1905. In 1907, Lardner transferred to being a sports reporter for various Chicago newspapers, and later as an editor for Sporting News and a columnist for The Chicago Tribune. Starting in 1907 Lardner began building a reputation as one of the most insightful, entertaining, and innovative sports reporters in the country. Lardner in particular stood out for the humor, satire, and slang vernacular incorporated into his writing. Lardner reportedly could turn the most dull baseball came into a comedic, keen perceptive articles and columns. Eventually Lardner’s columns were printed in 115 newspapers, and over his lifetime he wrote 4,500 articles and columns. He has received much attention for his American slang vernacular where he studied the way people speak to relate to readers, instead of using it as a device to humiliate. Eventually Lardner focused more on his short stories and theatrical pieces that portrayed more satire of all aspects of American life than in his columns. Although he wrote many plays, his only success was June Moon, co-authored with George Kaufman. He has been compared to authors such as Sinclair Lewis and Mark Twain. Lardner died on September 35, 1933 of a heart attack.
Selected Works:
- Bib Ballads (1915)
- Gullible’s Travels (1917)
- Own Your Own Home (1919)
- Symptoms of Being 35 (1921)
- The Love Nest and Other Stories (1926)
- June Moon: a Comedy in a Prologue and Three Acts (1930)
Critical Reception:
Lardner was one of the lucky few who’s writing enjoyed critical and popular approval. During the 1920s, Lardner rose to great prominence, and was arguably one of the most influential writers of the decade. His noted style included satire and slang vernacular, and his sports columns were wildly successful, being published in 115 newspapers. In the last few years of his life, Lardner fell out of public attention. However, Lardner still remains the forbearer of relating personally with his readers by using humor and the common style of speech. Journalists today still follow his example.
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work:
Lardner grew up in Niles, MI where he first developed his love for sports, particularly baseball, and writing, music, and theatricals. Later on in life, Lardner incorporated these interests into his career as a sports writer and author of theatricals.
Peattie, Elia Wilkinson
January 15, 1862 - 1935
Place of Birth: Kalamazoo, MI
Place of Principle Residence: Chicago, IL
Biography:
Elia Wilkinson Peattie was born to Amanda and Frederick Wilkinson in Kalamazoo, MI. The Wilkinsons moved to Chicago in 1871, where Peattie met and married her husband, Robert, in 1883. After being hired by The Chicago Tribune as their first female reporter, Peattie traveled widely, including to Omaha, Nebraska where Peattie and her husband relocated to in 1888, both taking jobs at the Omaha World – Herald. While Robert served as managing editor, Peattie became the Herald’s first female reporter and continued to travel, incorporating some of her experiences into her stories. Peattie published her first book, The Story of America, in 1889, and continued to write poems, short stories, and essays that ranged from romance on the frontiers to ghost stories for children. In addition to writing, Peattie was an advent feminist and involved herself in activities promoting women’s rights, included founding the Omaha Woman’s Club. Due to her husband’s frequent illness, Peattie sometimes found herself the sole supporter of her family of four children, and as a result produced a plethora of writing (once writing 100 short stories in 100 days for the Chicago Tribune) that she felt compromised her quality. In 1896 Peattie and her family moved back to Chicago where Peattie worked as a litereary critic The Chicago Tribune until 1917. During her lifetime, her work appeared in many journals, including Atlantic, Century, and Harper’s, and many of her stories were published in anthologies (like The Mountain Woman), newspapers, or unindexed journals like The Youth’s Companion. Peattie died in 1935 in Wallingford, Vermont.
Selected Works:
- The Shape of Fear: and Other Ghostly Tales (1899)
- The Beleaguered Forest (1901)
- Poems You Ought to Know (1903)
- Edda and the Oak Rand (1911)
- Lotta Embury’s Career (1915)
- The Wander Weed (1923)
Critical Reception
Peattie was a well-known feminist and writer, paving the way for young women to enter the field of journalism and promoting equal rights, as well as entertaining audiences with her short stories and poems. She lectured widely, and in 1893 read three papers at the World’s Fair. A year later, Peattie attended the General Federation of Woman’s Clubs in Philadelphia and shared stage with Susan B. Anthony.
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work:
Peattie’s lack of hesitation in recording the vices of towns when reporting (including prostitution, racism, and poverty), point to her impovershed childhood in Kalamazoo, MI.
Pitcher, Emma Bickham
September 20, 1915 -
Place of Birth: Chicago, IL
Place of Principle Residence: Kalamazoo, MI
Biography:
Emma Bickham Pitcher was born to Edith and Martin Bickham in Chicago, IL. Despite her later career as a naturalist and writer, Pitcher was not much interested in nature as a child. She graduated with a BA from the University of Chicago in 1937, and married, moving with her husband to Buffalo. Five years later they returned and attended the University of Chicago, and had four children: Hugh, Elizabeth, Charles, and Catherine. During the summer the family traveled to the Indiana Dunes, and it was during this time that Pitcher’s love for nature was born. She has published three books, all geared towards the power of observing the outdoors. In addition, she has written poetry and essays, most of which deal with her hobby as a naturalist. Pitcher served as the Dean of Students for the Graduate School of Business, retiring in 1980. She currently lives in Kalamazoo, Michigan and is an active volunteer at the Kalamazoo Nature Center.
Selected Works:
- Of Woods and Other Things (1996)
- Up and Down the Dunes (1987)
- Ramblings (2001)
Awards
- 1990 Public Media Award, Michigan Audubon Society
- Several National Park Volunteer Commendations
- “Sagamore of the Wabash” Award from the Governor of Indiana -the highest honor possible for service to the state
Critical Reception:
Pitcher has received several honors for her work, including the Public Media Award from the Michigan Audubon Society.
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work:
An adamant enthusiast of nature, Pitcher volunteers at The Kalamazoo Nature Center and for thirteen years has written essays on nature for the Kalamazoo Gazette.
Plano, Jack C.
November 25, 1921 - November 21, 2002
Place of Birth: Merrill, WI
Place of Principle Residence: Kalamazoo, MI
Biography:
Jack C. Plano was born to Minna and Victor Plano in Merrill, WI. He received business training at Merrill Community College in 1940, and joined the US Army in the Corps of Engineers. Plano left the army in 1945 and earned his BA at Ripon College in 1949. In 1950 and 1954 he earned his MA and PhD consecutively in international relations. From 1953 to 1987 he served as a professor in the Political Science department at Western Michigan University, teaching courses in international relations, international organization, and American foreign policy on both undergraduate and graduate levels. In 1962 he co-authored a new type of encyclopedia-dictionary, The American Political Dictionary that has been widely adopted as a supplemental text for basic courses in American government. By the time of Plano’s death, the book had gone through eleven editions. Due to the success of his first dictionary, Plano co-authored a series of political dictionaries with his colleagues and in 1980 was chosen as the series editor for ABC-Clio Dictionaries in Political Science. Plano covered topics relating to international relations, political science, political analysis, Latin America, and Soviet and East European governments and politics. In 1971, Plano was invited to the University of Sussex to lecture and do research, and in addition he presented papers on sea pollution and seabed problems for the Institute for the Study of International Organization. He has published a number of monographs, and in 1974 founded the New Issues Press of Western Michigan University and served as its press-managing editor until his retirement. Plano received several awards, including the first ever recipient of the Outstanding Emeritus Scholar Award at Western Michigan University. During his retirement ,Plano published a series of memoirs relating to his life experience. He died in 2007 and was survived by his wife, Ellen, and his children Jay, Gregory, and Vicki.
Selected Works:
- American Political Dictionary (1962)
- Latin America Political Dictionary (1980)
- United Nations (1988)
Awards:
- 1997 Outstanding emeritus Scholar Award-Western Michigan University
- 1981 Phi Beta Kappa - Ripon College
- 1981 Hubert Herring Award for Best Reference Book on Latin America
- 1997 Outstanding Emeritus Scholar Award at Western Michigan University
Critical Reception:
Plano’s first book, The American Political Dictionary, is still used in classrooms across the U.S. as a basic supplemental text in American Government. He has received several awards for his work, including the Hubert Herring Award for Best Reference Book on Latin America.
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work:
Plano taught at Western Michigan University for thirty-five years where he taught and pursued his research on political science. He co-authored several dictionaries/encyclopedias on a variety of topics with his colleagues. During his retirement he published several memoirs on his experience as an educator.