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 E.
B. White is one of the most famous American writers. I’m sure most of
you have read his books. He wrote many essays and children’s books.
His books were even made into movies. Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web,
and The Trumpet of the Swan are his most well-known books. His books
are still loved by many children all over the world. This
week, let’s meet the great author!
Elwyn Brooks White was born on July 11, 1899 in New York. He attended Cornell University,
and he worked as editor of The Cornell Daily
Sun. His writing career began after graduating from Cornell in 1921.
At first, he was offered
a teaching position at the University of Minnesota. But he turned
it down because he wanted to become a writer.
He worked for United Press International and the American Legion News
Service in 1921 and 1922. Then, he became a reporter for the Seattle
Times in 1922 and 1923. He then worked at an advertising agency as a copywriter for two years.
During this time, he wrote poems. He then worked for
the New Yorker magazine where he wrote the famous column “Talk of the Town”
for more than 10 years. He also wrote columns for many other well-known
magazines.
 In 1929,
White published a poetry collection, The Lady
Is Cold. He wrote his first children’s book, Stuart Little, in 1945.
He wrote the story of a mouse born to normal human parents to comfort young people who
thought themselves different or odd. Through this book, he
wanted to carry the message that everyone can build himself or herself
a good life.
In 1952, he wrote his most popular children’s book Charlotte’s
Web. The story is about a young pig named Wilbur and the clever spider Charlotte who saves
his life. Through this book, the author wanted to teach his young
readers the power of friendship. He also wanted
to tell them that death is a part of life.
During his life time, E. B. White received a large number of
awards. He won the Gold Medal
for Essays and Criticism from the National Institute of Arts and Letters
in 1960, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1963, the Laura Ingalls
Wilder Medal for his children’s books in 1970, and the National Medal
for Literature in 1971. In 1973 he was elected to the American Academy
of Arts and Letters. E. B. White died on October 1, 1985 after a long
fight with Alzheimer’s disease. |
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