Clinton F. Larson
Encyclopedia
Clinton Foster Larson was an American poet and playwright and the founding editor of BYU Studies
.
Larson was born in American Fork, Utah
to Clinton Larson and his wife the former Lillian Forter. Larson started college at the University of Utah
at age 16 with plans to study medicine. However he had an English class with Brewster Ghiselin
who convinced him to that he had potential as a writer. He served as an LDS missionary in England and then New England from 1939-1941. In 1942 he married Naomi Barlow in the Salt Lake Temple
. Around this time he entered the Army Air Corps
in which he served during the duration of World War II
. He completed his bachelors degree at the University of Utah and later earned a masters degree from the same institution in 1948. He received a Ph.D. degree in English from the University of Denver
.
Larson was professor at Brigham Young University
. In the early 1970s he was made BYU's first poet-in-residence.
Possibly Larson's most widely read work was his 16-volume text of the Illustrated Stories of the Book of Mormon published by Promised Land Publications.
BYU Studies
BYU Studies is a multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing articles on a broad array of topics related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
.
Larson was born in American Fork, Utah
American Fork, Utah
American Fork is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States, at the foot of Mount Timpanogos in the Wasatch Range, north of Utah Lake. It is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 26,263 at the 2010 census, nearly a 20% growth since the 2000 census...
to Clinton Larson and his wife the former Lillian Forter. Larson started college at the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
at age 16 with plans to study medicine. However he had an English class with Brewster Ghiselin
Brewster Ghiselin
Brewster Ghiselin an American poet and academic. He taught English at the University of Utah, where he was also responsible for creating the Utah Writer's Conference.He published Against the Circle in 1946...
who convinced him to that he had potential as a writer. He served as an LDS missionary in England and then New England from 1939-1941. In 1942 he married Naomi Barlow in the Salt Lake Temple
Salt Lake Temple
The Salt Lake Temple is the largest and best-known of more than 130 temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It is the sixth temple built by the church, requiring 40 years to complete, and the fourth operating temple built since the Mormon exodus from Nauvoo,...
. Around this time he entered the Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
in which he served during the duration of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He completed his bachelors degree at the University of Utah and later earned a masters degree from the same institution in 1948. He received a Ph.D. degree in English from the University of Denver
University of Denver
The University of Denver is currently ranked 82nd among all public and private "National Universities" by U.S. News & World Report in the 2012 rankings....
.
Larson was professor at Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
. In the early 1970s he was made BYU's first poet-in-residence.
Possibly Larson's most widely read work was his 16-volume text of the Illustrated Stories of the Book of Mormon published by Promised Land Publications.
Works
- Coriantumer and Moroni (1962)
- The Mantle of the Prophet and Other Plays (1966)
- The Prophet (1971)
- Romaunt of the Rose: A Tapestry of Poems (1982)
- The Civil War Poems (1988)
- Homestead in Idaho (1989)
Sources
- BYU Exhibit entry on Larson
- Neal E. Lambert. "Clinton F. Larson: I Miss His Booming Laugh" in BYU StudiesBYU StudiesBYU Studies is a multidisciplinary journal dedicated to publishing articles on a broad array of topics related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints...
Vol. 49 (2010) no. 2, p. 178-183. - Mormon Literature Database entry for Larson
- Deseret News July 12, 1994 Obituary for Larson