Indiana
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Indiana's Golden Age Indiana can justifiably be proud of its literary heritage that dates from the 19th century and is sparked by several noted writers and their continuing
legacies. Writing in Indiana reached its peak in the years between 1880 and 1920, a period referred to by the Indiana Historical Society as the "Golden Age of Indiana Literature." Famous Hoosier writers from
this era included Theodore Dreiser, Booth Tarkington, James Whitcomb Riley, and Gene Stratton Porter. Riley first began to publish poetry in 1872 with moderate success; in 1883, however, he catapulted into the nation's
consciousness with a collection which included a soon-to-be-famous character, Little Orphan Annie, who would go on to be the subject of books and plays worldwide. Another Hoosier from Indiana's Golden Age is nature writer and
photographer Gene Stratton Porter. She spent a great deal of her life observing and photographing birds and wildlife for outdoor magazines. She was particularly drawn to a swamp near her home, the Limberlost, which
eventually became the setting for a novel for young readers, Girl of the Limberlost. Her second novel, Freckles, is her most popular work. World War I brought an end to the Golden Age of Indiana's
Literature. However, a World War II journalist and Hoosier named Ernie Pyle became a household word as he traveled with American troops throughout the European theatre and wrote from foxholes and battlefields. Pyle
brought the horrors of war and everyday struggles of the soldiers to those on the homefront. Kurt Vonnegut, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge in Germany, also used his World War II experiences in his writing, specifically in
Slaughterhouse-Five, which evoked the horrors of the Dresden firebombings and the helpless plight of a captured soldier. Published in 1969, during the height of the Vietnam War, Vonnegut's novel quickly found a widespread
audience, from the New York Times' bestseller list to university classrooms. From Jessamyn West, author of Friendly Persuasion, to noted children's author and illustrator Bill Peet, Indiana has been and still
continues to be home to a wide array of writers, working in many genres from mainstream novels and romances to westerns and thrillers. Moreover, Indiana has its share of academic authors and scholars, working in many of the
universities throughout the state. With several famous writers and writing legacies dating back to the 19th century, Indiana's soil is fertile ground for its many wordsmiths proud of the state's literary heritage. Sources
By Melissa Martina Howlett
Indiana Historical Society. 16 April 1999.
Melissa Martina Howlett is a professor at the University of Indianapolis in Indiana.