Robert Cantwell
Encyclopedia
Robert Emmett Cantwell was a novelist and critic. His most notable work, The Land of Plenty, focuses on a lumber mill in a thinly disguised version of his hometown of Aberdeen, Washington
.
Cantwell, who was born in Little Falls (now Vader
), Washington, attended the University of Washington
(1924−1925), then spent the next four years working at Harbor Plywood Co., (1925−1929) in Hoquiam, Washington
. In 1929, after selling a short story to The American Caravan, he moved to New York City
, where he started work on his first novel, Laugh and Lie Down (1931). From 1930 to 1935 he wrote a second novel, The Land of Plenty (1934) and began work on a biography of Bostonian E. A. Filene
, in collaboration with Lincoln Steffens
. This work was never completed.
Cantwell then worked on the editorial staffs of Time
(1935−1936) and Fortune
(1937), then became associate editor of Time (1938−1945). Cantwell spent the next three years researching and writing the biography, Nathaniel Hawthorne
: The American Years (1948). From 1949 to 1954 he worked as the literary editor of Newsweek
and then took up freelancing again until 1956 when he began an association with Sports Illustrated
which lasted the rest of his life. He worked on a number of articles, three of which became books: Alexander Wilson
: Naturalist and Pioneer (1961), The Real McCoy (1971), and The Hidden Northwest (1972). Subjects of his articles include chess, ornithology, sports in the movies and literary figures in sports.
Ernest Hemingway
considered Cantwell "his best bet" in American fiction.
Cantwell died in 1978, at age 70, in New York City.
Aberdeen, Washington
Aberdeen is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington, United States, founded by Samuel Benn in 1884. Aberdeen was incorporated on May 12, 1890. The city is the economic center of Grays Harbor County, bordering the cities of Hoquiam and Cosmopolis...
.
Cantwell, who was born in Little Falls (now Vader
Vader, Washington
Vader is a city in Lewis County, Washington, United States. The population was 621 at the 2010 census.-History:Vader was originally named Little Falls and incorporated as such on January 12, 1906. The name was changed to Sopenah by the Northern Pacific Railway because there was already a Little...
), Washington, attended the University of Washington
University of Washington
University of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
(1924−1925), then spent the next four years working at Harbor Plywood Co., (1925−1929) in Hoquiam, Washington
Hoquiam, Washington
Hoquiam is a city in Grays Harbor County, Washington state, United States. The town borders the city of Aberdeen at Myrtle Street with Hoquiam to the west. The two cities share a common economic history in lumbering and exporting but Hoquiam has maintained its independent identity...
. In 1929, after selling a short story to The American Caravan, he moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, where he started work on his first novel, Laugh and Lie Down (1931). From 1930 to 1935 he wrote a second novel, The Land of Plenty (1934) and began work on a biography of Bostonian E. A. Filene
Edward Filene
Edward Albert Filene was an American businessman, social entrepreneur and philanthropist...
, in collaboration with Lincoln Steffens
Lincoln Steffens
-Biography:Steffens was born April 6, 1866, in San Francisco. He grew up in a wealthy family and attended a military academy. He studied in France and Germany after graduating from the University of California....
. This work was never completed.
Cantwell then worked on the editorial staffs of Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
(1935−1936) and Fortune
Fortune (magazine)
Fortune is a global business magazine published by Time Inc. Founded by Henry Luce in 1930, the publishing business, consisting of Time, Life, Fortune, and Sports Illustrated, grew to become Time Warner. In turn, AOL grew as it acquired Time Warner in 2000 when Time Warner was the world's largest...
(1937), then became associate editor of Time (1938−1945). Cantwell spent the next three years researching and writing the biography, Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne
Nathaniel Hawthorne was an American novelist and short story writer.Nathaniel Hawthorne was born in 1804 in the city of Salem, Massachusetts to Nathaniel Hathorne and the former Elizabeth Clarke Manning. His ancestors include John Hathorne, a judge during the Salem Witch Trials...
: The American Years (1948). From 1949 to 1954 he worked as the literary editor of Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
and then took up freelancing again until 1956 when he began an association with Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated
Sports Illustrated is an American sports media company owned by media conglomerate Time Warner. Its self titled magazine has over 3.5 million subscribers and is read by 23 million adults each week, including over 18 million men. It was the first magazine with circulation over one million to win the...
which lasted the rest of his life. He worked on a number of articles, three of which became books: Alexander Wilson
Alexander Wilson
Alexander Wilson was a Scottish-American poet, ornithologist, naturalist, and illustrator.Wilson was born in Paisley, Scotland, the son of an illiterate distiller. In 1779 he was apprenticed as a weaver. His main interest at this time was in writing poetry...
: Naturalist and Pioneer (1961), The Real McCoy (1971), and The Hidden Northwest (1972). Subjects of his articles include chess, ornithology, sports in the movies and literary figures in sports.
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Hemingway
Ernest Miller Hemingway was an American author and journalist. His economic and understated style had a strong influence on 20th-century fiction, while his life of adventure and his public image influenced later generations. Hemingway produced most of his work between the mid-1920s and the...
considered Cantwell "his best bet" in American fiction.
Cantwell died in 1978, at age 70, in New York City.
Further reading
- Lewis, Merrill (1985). Robert Cantwell. Boise State UniversityBoise State UniversityBoise State University is a public university located in Boise, Idaho. Originally founded in 1932 as a junior college by the Episcopal Church, the university became an independent institution in 1934, and has been awarding baccalaureate and master degrees since 1965...
. ISBN 0884300447 - Seyersted, Per (2004). Robert Cantwell: An American 1930s Radical Writer and His Apostasy. Novus Press. ISBN 8270993972