Wister, Owen

Wister, Owen
born July 14, 1860, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.
died July 21, 1938, North Kingstown, R.I.

U.S. novelist.

A well-to-do Easterner who graduated from Harvard, he spent his summers in the West from 1885. After practicing law for two years, he devoted himself to a literary career. His novel The Virginian (1902), the story of a cattle-ranch foreman who depends for his life on a harsh code of ethics, was a great popular success and helped establish the cowboy as an American folk hero and stock fictional character; the novel became the basis of a play, numerous films, and even a television series. His other major work was Roosevelt: The Story of a Friendship, 1880–1919 (1930), detailing his long acquaintance with his Harvard classmate Theodore Roosevelt.

Wister

By courtesy of the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.

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▪ American novelist

born July 14, 1860, Philadelphia, Pa., U.S.
died July 21, 1938, North Kingstown, R.I.
 novelist whose The Virginian (1902) helped establish the cowboy as an American folk hero and stock fictional character.

      Wister graduated from Harvard in 1882 and studied musical composition in Paris for two years. Ill health forced his return to the United States, and he spent the summer of 1885 in Wyoming. In the fall Wister entered Harvard Law School, graduating in 1888, and after being admitted to the bar in 1889, he practiced for two years in Philadelphia. He continued to spend his summers in the West, and in 1891, after the enthusiastic acceptance by Harper's of two of his western sketches, he devoted himself to a literary career.

      The Virginian was the story of a cowboy ranch foreman and was a great popular success. It introduced such themes as the conflict of its genteel heroine, a schoolteacher from the East, with her cowboy lover, who depends for his life on a harsh code of ethics. Its climactic gun duel is considered the first such “showdown” in fiction. Wister's other major work was Roosevelt: The Story of a Friendship, 1880–1919 (1930), detailing his long acquaintance with Theodore Roosevelt, a Harvard classmate. Wister also wrote a number of books for children. His collected writings were published in 11 volumes in 1928. His journals and letters from 1885 to 1895 were published in Owen Wister Out West (1958), edited by his daughter, Fanny Kemble Wister.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Wister, Owen — (14 jul. 1860, Filadelfia, Pa., EE.UU.–21 jul. 1938, North Kingstown, R.I.). Novelista norteamericano. Wister pertenecía a la clase pudiente de la costa este de EE.UU. y se graduó de la Universidad de Harvard. A partir de 1885 comenzó a pasar los …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Wister,Owen — Wis·ter (wĭsʹtər), Owen. 1860 1938. American writer known for his novel The Virginian (1902), often considered the first Western. * * * …   Universalium

  • Owen Wister — Owen Wister, author of the Western novel The Virginian, and friend of Theodore Roosevelt Born Owen Wister July 14, 1860(1860 07 14) Philadelphia …   Wikipedia

  • Owen Wister — (* 14. Juli 1860 in Germantown (Pennsylvania); † 21. Juli 1938 in Kingston (Rhode Island)) war ein amerikanischer Schriftsteller. Er ist einer der Mitbegründer des …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Wister — Owen Wister (* 14. Juli 1860 in Germantown (Pennsylvania); † 21. Juli 1938 in Kingston (Rhode Island)) war ein amerikanischer Schriftsteller. Er ist einer der Mitbegründer des Wildwestromans als Genre der amerikanischen Literatur.… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Owen Wister Award — is an annual award from the Western Writers of America given to lifelong contributions to the field of Western literature. Named for writer Owen Wister (The Virginian; 1902), it is given for Outstanding Contributions to the American West .[1]… …   Wikipedia

  • Owen — Owen, Robert Owen, Wilfred * * * (as used in expressions) Gehry, Frank O(wen) Glendower, Owen Owen, Robert Owen, Robert Dale Owen, Wilfred Wister, Owen …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Owen Wister — Sur les autres projets Wikimedia : « Owen Wister », sur Wikisource (bibliothèque universelle) Owen Wister (14 juillet 1860 – 21 juillet 1938) était un écrivain américain dont l œuvre s inspire du Far West. Il est né à Philadelphie… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Owen — /oh euhn/, n. 1. Sir Richard, 1804 92, English zoologist and anatomist. 2. Robert, 1771 1858, Welsh social reformer in Great Britain and the U.S. 3. Wilfred, 1893 1918, English poet. 4. a male given name. * * * (as used in expressions) Gehry… …   Universalium

  • Owen Wister Review —   Discipline Literature Language English …   Wikipedia

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