Robert Saunders Dowst

Born in 1890 and educated at Dartmouth College, Robert Saunders Dowst built a varied writing career that reached both aspiring authors and general readers. Early in the 20th century he published books on the craft of fiction, including Fiction as Art and Life and The Technique of Fiction Writing.

Later, he became especially well known as a freelance turf writer and handicapper. A Dartmouth Alumni Magazine notice published in 1959 described him as having a world-wide reputation for his expertise in analyzing race horses, and noted that his 1934 book Playing the Races had gone through many editions.

Dowst died in March 1959. What makes him memorable is the unusual span of his work: he could write thoughtfully about how stories are made, then turn to the very different world of racing with the same clear, instructive style.