author

William Rose Benét

1886–1950

A Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, editor, and storyteller, he helped shape American literary life in the first half of the twentieth century. His work ranged from lyric poetry to fiction and criticism, and he was also known for encouraging other writers through his editorial work.

1 Audiobook

Perpetual Light : a memorial

Perpetual Light : a memorial

by William Rose Benét

About the author

Born in 1886, William Rose Benét was an American poet, novelist, and editor whose career touched many corners of the literary world. He came from a notably literary family and became widely known for both his own writing and his gift for championing the work of others.

He wrote poetry, fiction, and essays, and received the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for The Dust Which Is God. Alongside his writing, he played an important role in magazine publishing and literary culture, especially through his long association with The Saturday Review of Literature.

Benét died in 1950, but he remains remembered as a generous and energetic figure in American letters: a writer with a strong love of language, and an editor who helped connect readers with new books and new voices.