Our stories this week represent two of the most acclaimed writers of the midwestern United States, Willa Cather (1873-1947) and Sherwood Anderson (1876-1941).
Willa Cather is one of a kind, combining a strong artistic interest and sensibility with a deep love of the landscapes and people of the mid-western United States. Her touching short story “A Death in the Desert” is a good example of her unique combination of concerns.
More about Willa Cather’s life and works:
Biography from the Willa Cather Archive.
ThoughtCo website, Willa Cather, American Author
Our second story is “The Strength of God” by Sherwood Anderson. The story is from Anderson’s ground-breaking story cycle Winesburg, Ohio. You might already have encountered one or more of these intriguing character sketches, loosely tied together into a collective portrait of a mid-western town, in a high school or college English class. The following Chicago Tribune article gives an interesting account of how Winesburg, Ohio came to be written.
“All Roads Lead to Winesburg, Ohio.” by Porter Shreve, Chicago Tribune, March 7, 2014.
