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Winner, 2022 Society of Midland Authors award for Biography/Memoir

Evan S. Connell (1924–2013) emerged from the American Midwest determined to become a writer. He eventually made his mark with attention-getting fiction and deep explorations into history. His linked novels Mrs. Bridge (1959) and Mr. Bridge (1969) paint a devastating portrait of the lives of a prosperous suburban family not unlike his own that, more than a half century later, continue to haunt readers with their minimalist elegance and muted satire. As an essayist and historian, Connell produced a wide range of work, including a sumptuous body of travel writing, a bestselling epic account of Custer at the Little Bighorn, and a singular series of meditations on history and the human tragedy.
 
This first portrait and appraisal of an under-recognized American writer is based on personal accounts by friends, relatives, writers, and others who knew him; extensive correspondence in library archives; and insightful literary and cultural analysis of Connell’s work and its context. It also illuminates aspects of American publishing, Hollywood, male anxieties, and the power of place.

From the Kansas outdoors to Oregon classrooms, William Stafford (1914–1993) led a vibrantly original life navigated with ambition and mission. In poetry crafted in everyday language, a conversational tone, and richly accessible introspection, he invited readers to question and explore nature, humanity, and the American West. After he won the National Book Award in poetry and the Shelley Memorial Award from the Poetry Society of America and served as the Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress (a role known today as US Poet Laureate), his talent became recognized around the world. The accolades and achievements continued, including Stafford later spending fifteen years as the Poet Laureate of Oregon. 

A character shaped by duty, adventure, a sharp sense of humor, and a strong moral compass, Stafford remains a beloved American poet. In William Stafford: The Shadow Poet, the first comprehensive biography, Steve Paul shares fascinating stories and frequently surprising accounts of Stafford’s life and work. The book traces Stafford from his humble origins through periods of social courage, the complications of his wartime alternative service, dedication to writing, and family tragedy. It explores how his pacifist world views and eco-consciousness continue to inspire those returning to his work or discovering it for the first time. Paul uncovers various layers of the poet’s life—through his philosophy, friends, family, teaching, and writing—and contemplates how Stafford’s metaphoric shadows, found frequently in his poems, figure into his life and career.