author
William Rose Benét
1886–1950
A lively American man of letters, he moved easily between poetry, criticism, editing, and children’s books, helping shape literary culture in the first half of the twentieth century. He is especially remembered for his long-running "The Phoenix Nest" column and for cofounding the Saturday Review of Literature.
1 Audiobook
Perpetual Light : a memorial
by William Rose Benét
About the author
Born in Brooklyn, New York, on February 2, 1886, William Rose Benét became a poet, writer, editor, critic, anthologist, translator, and children’s author. He studied at Yale and went on to build a wide-ranging literary career, publishing, editing, or collaborating on more than thirty books between 1915 and 1950.
Benét was a cofounder of the Saturday Review of Literature and was best known to many readers for "The Phoenix Nest," a column he wrote from 1924 until his death in 1950. His work ranged from poetry and essays to reference books, and he also edited The Reader’s Encyclopedia, which helped introduce generations of readers to literature.
He was part of a notably literary family: the older brother of Stephen Vincent Benét and the younger brother of Laura Benét. He died in New York City on May 4, 1950, leaving behind a reputation as an energetic champion of books and writers as well as a versatile author in his own right.