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Willa Cather in Person: Interviews, Speeches, and Letters
As she grew older Willa Cather became ever more private, complaining of favor-seekers and other parasites of fame. But in her long career she granted thirty-four interviews, gave six public speeches, and published ten letters, discussing literature and the artistic life and illuminating her own life and writing. These fugitive pieces, here gathered for the first time, reveal the author's early thirst for fame and the reasons for her later renunciation of it. Included are Cather's radio speech accepting the 1923 Pulitzer Prize for fiction (awarded for One of Ours ), accounts of her other speeches, interviews conducted by Louise Bogan and Stephen Vincent Benét, and six little-known portraits of Cather.
236 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
45 people want to read
About the author
Willa Cather
968 books2,839 followersWilella Sibert Cather was born in Back Creek Valley (Gore), Virginia, in December 7, 1873.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
She grew up in Virginia and Nebraska. She then attended the University of Nebraska, initially planning to become a physician, but after writing an article for the Nebraska State Journal, she became a regular contributor to this journal. Because of this, she changed her major and graduated with a bachelor's degree in English.
After graduation in 1894, she worked in Pittsburgh as writer for various publications and as a school teacher for approximately 13 years, thereafter moving to New York City for the remainder of her life.
Her novels on frontier life brought her to national recognition. In 1923 she was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her novel, 'One of Ours' (1922), set during World War I. She travelled widely and often spent summers in New Brunswick, Canada. In later life, she experienced much negative criticism for her conservative politics and became reclusive, burning some of her letters and personal papers, including her last manuscript.
She was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 1943. In 1944, Cather received the gold medal for fiction from the National Institute of Arts and Letters, an award given once a decade for an author's total accomplishments.
She died of a cerebral haemorrhage at the age of 73 in New York City.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 22, 2012
Fascinating book - it fueled my months-long obsession. Love to read things in her own voice. What a character! Plus, this guy dug up stuff that other biographers didn't include. Interesting.
July 4, 2020
This older book reprises information about Willa Cather. Interviews are articles written by newspaper and magazine writers made up most of this text. Some contained errors, either noted or not noted, in the short introduction to each article. Some discrepancies were attributed to Cather, others were mistakes by the writer of the article. Sorting error from fact was annoying at times. I also wonder if the articles were not more editorial than interview. A biography would provide better, more accurate information.
The letters section, perhaps the most interesting, was very short. At the time, permission to publish her letters was not available. Now, Cather's published letters (The Selected Letters of Willa Cather) would be a better resource for letters.
The letters section, perhaps the most interesting, was very short. At the time, permission to publish her letters was not available. Now, Cather's published letters (The Selected Letters of Willa Cather) would be a better resource for letters.
June 6, 2015
Excellent window into the thoughts and views (though less the life) of one of America's best 20th C. novelists. The editor, the Rev. Brent Bohlke, was a noted Cather scholar. He succeeded my father as Professor of Religion at Bard but, sad to say, died not long afterwards before I (a longtime Cather fan) ever had a chance to meet him. Strongly recommend this book for Cather aficionados and aficionadas and for people interested in female novelists.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews