David Wagoner

Ronald McFarland (University of Idaho)
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With the notable exception of W.S. Merwin, no important poet writing in America today has been more prolific than David Wagoner; moreover, no other poet who might challenge that assertion has demonstrated Wagoner’s mastery of the craft. Born in Massilon, Ohio, in 1926, Wagoner has to date produced eighteen full-length books of poetry, ten novels, at least a dozen uncollected short stories and novellas, several plays, and an edition of Theodore Roethke’s notebooks,

Straw for the Fire

(1972). In 1982 Francis Ford Coppola produced a film based on his novel

The Escape Artist

(1965), featuring Griffin O’Neal, Raul Julia, Desi Arnez, Sr., Terri Garr, and Joan Hackett. Wagoner’s poems have garnered several awards, including an American Academy of Arts and Letters award, the Fels Prize,…

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Citation: McFarland, Ronald . "David Wagoner". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 18 February 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=4570, accessed 19 March 2024.]

4570 David Wagoner 1 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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