Posts Tagged ‘Ohio’
Paul Dunbar’s “Majors and Minors:” Published 120 Years Ago.
One hundred and twenty years ago the poet Paul Laurence Dunbar published the volume that propelled him into wider prominence: Majors and Minors. This was Dunbar’s second volume of poetry. His first, Oak and Ivy, appeared in 1892. Both books were the products of a 19th century self-publishing deal. Dunbar contracted on credit with the…
Read MoreBuckeyemuse Road Trip: The Paul Laurence Dunbar House in Dayton, Ohio
To visit the Paul Laurence Dunbar House in Dayton, Ohio is to step back into the world of late Victorian America. You can almost hear the clop of horse hooves on cobblestones, smell the heavy tobacco of cigars and taste the earthy bite of old fashioned root beer as you walk through these rooms and…
Read MoreJames Wright’s “In Ohio”
James Wright is one of the most distinguished twentieth century American poets. Born in Martins Ferry, Ohio in 1927, he attended local schools and served in the U.S. Army on Occupation duty in Japan, then returned to study at Kenyon College near Gambier, Ohio where he earned his bachelor’s degree. He studied overseas at the…
Read MoreClark Gable, Son of Cadiz, Ohio
Clark Gable, the legendary actor who has been called “The King of Hollywood,” was born in Cadiz, Ohio, a small town in eastern Ohio’s Harrison County, on February 1, 1901. His father, William Henry “Will” Gable was an oil well driller who later attempted farming. Gable’s mother died when he was ten months old,…
Read MoreRemembering Thomas Berger
The distinguished postwar American novelist Thomas Berger died on July 13, 2014 in Nyack, New York. As this was a great loss for American letters in the past year, I wanted to post an entry on this very unique and gifted writer, who will be featured in the future on this blog. Berger was a…
Read MoreMerry Christmas–and Happy Rod Serling’s birthday!
Merry Christmas! And Happy Rod Serling’s birthday! The noted screenwriter and television show host was born on December 25, 1924 in Syracuse, New York. His family moved to Binghamton, New York two years later and he attended local schools before enlisting in the U.S. Army, where he served with the 511th Parachute Regiment of the…
Read MoreFrom “Good Old Columbus Town:” James Thurber born December 8, 1894
It’s been fifty-three years since James Thurber died, but his work is still very much with us, as attested to by the recent remake of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” featuring Ben Stiller. Thurber, one of our best twentieth century American humorists, was born on December 8, 1894 in Columbus, Ohio. His family life…
Read MorePlainsman from Ohio: Jack Schaefer, Author of “Shane.”
Jack Schaefer, author of the western classic Shane, was born on November 19, 1907 in Cleveland, Ohio. He attended local schools and went on to Oberlin College, where he studied English, then attended graduate school at Columbia University in New York City. He left grad school for a career in journalism, doing mostly editorial work…
Read MorePoet Richard Hague To Read At Northern Kentucky University
On Thursday, October 23, 2014, noted poet Richard Hague will read from and discuss his new book of poems During The Recent Extinctions: New and Selected Poems 1984-2012 (Dos Madres Press, 2012). Hague is an award-winning poet and essayist in Cincinnati. Born and raised in Steubenville, Ohio, he has published fifteen collections of poetry, as…
Read MoreBooks By The Banks: A Celebration of Books and Reading
Book lovers turned out in force on Saturday, October 11 for Books By The Banks: Cincinnati USA Book Festival. For six hours the Duke Energy Convention Center in downtown Cincinnati was abuzz with activity as fans met their favorite authors, listened to panel discussions and author presentations, and met staff from local sponsors, which included…
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