Wright Morris

American, 1910 - 1998

William Morris grew up in a small town in rural Nebraska, a setting that plays a prominent role in his works. He moved to California to attend Pomona College and spent much of the rest of the life there, including twelve years teaching at San Francisco State College. Beginning in 1942, he began writing nearly one book a year, many of which won prestigious honors. He received two National Book Awards, three Guggenheim Fellowships, a Whiting Award, and an O. Henry Award, among others. He died in Mill Valley, California in 1998.