Conrad Richter (1890–1968)

Conrad Richter was born in Pine Grove, Pennsylvania on October 13, 1890. Richter started a small publishing business and wrote magazine fiction and nonfiction books on scientific philosophy. Conrad Richter won the Pulitzer Prize for his novel, "The Town," in 1951. The book was the third in what became known as Richter's Ohio Trilogy. These books were later published in one volume entitled, The Awakening Land: The Trees, The Fields, The Town. The books followed the life of Sayward Luckett Wheeler who was widely considered one of the most sensitively drawn pioneer women in fiction. The trilogy describes her participation in the gradual replacement of the gloomy and dangerous Ohio forest wilderness with new farming communities and a thriving town. Although Richter published more than 20 other novels and collections of short stories, most of which featured pioneers battling their environment, and some of which won their own awards, he is still best known for his Ohio Trilogy. Richter has written many other books including "Early Americana," a collection of short stories, "The Sea of Grass," a book about crooked politicians and cattlemen, and "The Light in the Forest," a book about the kidnapping of a white boy by Native Americans. He also won a National Book Award for "The Waters of Kronos" in 1961. "The Sea of Grass," was also nominated for the National Book Award in 1937. Conrad Richter died in Pottsville, Pennsylvania on October 30, 1968. (Bowker Author Biography)

— biography from The Light in the Forest

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