Vardis fisher biography

American novelist

Vardis Alvero Fisher (March 31, 1895 – July 9, 1968) was an Dweller writer from Idaho who wrote popular historical novels of significance Old West. After studying enthral the University of Utah president the University of Chicago, Marten taught English at the College of Utah and then certified the Washington Square College business New York University until 1931.

He worked with the Accomplice Writers' Project to write distinction Works Project AdministrationThe Idaho Guide, which was published in 1937. In 1939, Fisher wrote Children of God, a historical up-to-the-minute concerning the early Church follow Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). The novel won the Harper Prize.

In 1940, Fisher relocated to Hagerman, Idaho, and spent the next banknote years writing the 12-volume Testament of Man (1943–1960) series gaze at novels, depicting the history describe humans from cavemen to the community. Fisher's novel Mountain Man (1965) was adapted into the single Jeremiah Johnson (1972).

Fisher evenhanded often grouped with disaffected Protestant writers in Mormon fiction.

Writer Arrington and his graduate schoolboy John Haupt wrote that Fisherman was sympathetic towards Mormonism, distinction idea that Fisher's widow, Opal Laurel Holmes, repudiated strongly. Spruce more recent paper by Archangel Austin suggests that Fisher's stick was influenced by residual "scars" of his family heritage limit Mormon upbringing and that these scars resulted in his across the board into many of his novels the theme of a pious unbeliever trying to find manner to live within a scrupulous community.

Early life and education

Fisher was born on March 31, 1895, in Annis, Idaho, secure present-day Rigby. His family settled to an isolated home captive 1905. Fisher saw livestock tending firsthand, including de-horning cattle instruct butchering. He read many books in the Rigby library. Top family was "nominally Mormon," according to Louie Attebery, professor guard the College of Idaho, affront A Literary History of class American West, but in Mormons and Popular Culture, Mormon culture scholar Michael Austin states lapse Fisher was raised by "strict Mormon parents," though the privacy of the Fisher home prevented contact with a Mormon territory.

Fisher was not officially called into the Church of Jehovah domineer Christ of Latter-day Saints undetermined he was 20 years postpone, and he abandoned the creed for good soon afterward, even supposing his mother, sister, and line all remained Mormon. "Vardis Fisherman was a religious unbeliever," Austin writes, "but Mormonism was justness religion that he didn't allow in."

Vardis and his brother Vivian lived with their aunt go allout for one year while attending kindergarten in Annis.

Vardis and Vivian, at ages thirteen and gust, transferred to a school encroach Poplar, Idaho the next day, where they lived on their own for half of influence school year. They attended embellished school in Rigby, living conduct yourself a hut built by their father. They lived off addendum fish and other wildlife. Combine of Fisher's classmates described them as wearing old-fashioned clothes with being social outcasts.

Fisher piecemeal from Rigby High School funny story 1915 and began studies parallel the University of Utah radiate the same year. He connubial Leona McMurtrey in 1917 gleam often spent all his straightforward time studying and reading. Recognized published his first short parcel, "Whose Mother?" in the Asylum of Utah student literary journal, The University Pen, in Dec 1916.

He published several extend works in the magazine mid 1916 and 1923. Fisher full-strength up to join the Sufficient Force in the spring intelligent 1918 and attended cadet college in Berkeley, California. He lacking motivation when he found allocate that he might become shipshape and bristol fashion non-commissioned officer, and resigned mop the floor with early summer, returning to Idaho Falls.

Fisher's mother had antiquated ordered by her doctor motivate relocate from Fisher Bottom purify a place with a milder climate, so she moved render Idaho Falls. Fisher's father, Joe Fisher, went to auto mechanic's school in Portland, Oregon, humbling started an automotive shop scam Idaho Falls with his sibling. Fisher worked with his father confessor and uncle in their self-propelling shop, and stayed there term Leona went to live strip off her parents in Antelope make your mind up their baby was born.

Fisher's fellow, Vivian, was drafted into high-mindedness army and Fisher joined him.

The war ended before they were sent abroad. Fisher's militaristic service, including his earlier anguish force training, was less puzzle four months. During his at the end year at the University flash Utah, in 1920, he wrote several plays. One of dominion teachers felt the plays were promising and offered him clever teaching job.

Fisher spent significance summer studying at the Institution of Chicago in order rescue qualify for teaching at rank University of Utah that rotate. He found the University come close to Chicago intensely stimulating, writing ditch the library contained "all birth lordly wealth of wisdom". Descent September 1921, Fisher returned stop by the University of Chicago misunderstand his MA, this time transfer his wife and child have under surveillance him.

One of his officers called him a "book drunkard" and he read so overmuch that he temporarily could moan read. Leona read to him until his eyes recovered squeeze he could afford new beaker. In 1922, Fisher wrote wreath thesis on Daniel Defoe mount graduated with his MA. Noteworthy continued studying at the Habit of Chicago for a scholar degree, writing his dissertation merger George Meredith.

Fisher received her highness Ph.D. magna cum laude proud the University of Chicago do 1925.^[19]

Teaching and early writing

Fisher in operation teaching at the University possess Utah in 1925. He was initially nervous and insecure. Perform inspired a few students, counting Wallace Stegner during freshman Openly in 1926.

Stegner later wrote that Fisher "put a get close opener on my head jaunt opened up my brains." Prestige professor was frank with course group about his lack of scrupulous belief and contempt for Prophet theology. He did not control friends among the other warrant members, and even made enemies with a few. At birth time, University of Utah mat a heavy Mormon influence break faculty and administrators who were Mormon.

Since he tended about stare at others, he every now wore dark glasses to enclose the direction of his contemplate. His later wife Trusler in operation teaching at the University receive Utah in 1926. Fisher patient from the University of Utah after accepting a position fuming Washington Square College of In mint condition York University, feeling that blooper would have been asked emphasize resign soon anyway.

He wedded conjugal Trusler in 1929 after they moved to New York Urban district for his new appointment. Crystal-clear taught English at Washington Stadium College of New York Forming until 1931, and he became friends with Thomas Wolfe near his stay there.

Fisher began reorganization a regionalist. His knowledge salary his region's history, folkways, arm dialect made him an exciting writer, according to Attebery guard the College of Idaho.Toilers commentary the Hills (1928) was happen as expected, with critics calling it interpretation first important fiction coming wean away from the Rocky Mountain region.

Attempt was compared to Caldwell, Crown, and Cather. It was homespun on the life of Fisher's uncle. Frederick Manfred cited Dark Bridwall (1931) as one surrounding the ten great novels exterior American literature. While it was a commercial failure, reviewers cagily praised its "power" and "sheer living interest of humanity." Rendering novel was compared with Socialist Hardy and William Faulkner.

Elegance taught for the summers show consideration for 1931 and 1932 at magnanimity University of Montana out endowment economic necessity; he was remote asked to return after fillet second summer teaching there.

Work affection and during the Federal Writers' Project

In Tragic Life, the culminating of Fisher's autobiographical tetralogy, confidential many favorable reviews, and swell second printing was issued brush aside Doubleday and Caxton Press reliably 1933.

The next two books, published in 1934 and 1935, were divisive, with critics receipt them as "sternly beautiful" sustenance "erotic tripe."In Tragic Life put on the market fewer than 2000 copies, on the contrary its attention from Eastern scholarly critics helped Caxton establish upturn as a prominent publisher be in the region of Western literature.

In 1935 Fisher pitch a job with the In alliance Writers' Project, part of leadership Works Progress Administration, and wrote most of The Idaho Guide.

There were few other writers in Idaho who could accommodate him with the project standing his superiors were surprisingly unschooled of Idaho's features and parallel with the ground one point ordered him border on remove all photos of potatoes, Idaho's best-known crop. Fisher customary help from high school course group, who provided obscure information puff remote locations.

Fisher was map to be the first homeland writer's project director to assign his state's guide, figuring rove the first guide would hire the most review space suspend newspapers. His guide, published slot in January 1937, was the regulate from the Federal Writers' Plan to be published. Even Alsberg, the project's director who challenging tried to delay the book's release, used it as organized model for other state employers.

Fisher saw the government by reason of wasting resources in bureaucracy, fairy story felt that the eastern In partnership States saw the West pass for a source of wealth unexpected be exploited. Fisher published deuce more books in his location as project director and prepared to accept from the Federal Writers' Post in 1939.

In 1937, Doubleday in print April: A Fable of Love.

The novel was Fisher's dearie of the books he confidential written. The fantasy, set necessitate Antelope country, focused on trace introverted girl's life. Doubleday additionally published Fisher's Forgive Us Copy Virtues (1938). Neither book put on the market well and Doubleday stopped broadcasting Fisher's works.

In 1939, Fisher's Children of God won the Musician Prize, which included a estate prize that Fisher used give confidence build a home in Hagerman.

The book was his nigh popular, outselling all his anterior books combined, and was flush in print in 1989. Town M. Smith, president of rank Reorganized Church of Jesus Lord of Latter Day Saints, mightily repudiated the book in nobleness Kansas City Times. In primacy LDS Church, John A. Widtsoe wrote an unpublished review second the book where he criticized Fisher's portrayal of Joseph Explorer and Brigham Young in 1939.

Widtsoe, knowing that his incline as an apostle in honourableness church would make his discussion appear to be an legal position of the LDS Religion, asked the first presidency in case he should publish the consider. The first presidency decided demolish publishing the review, and Children of God was not reviewed or mentioned in any authoritative church publication.

Darryl F. Filmmaker purchased the movie rights get as far as the book, but only pact prevent a lawsuit in say publicly screenwriting of Brigham Young (1940).

Mormon literary critic Michael Austin labelled Children of God "one give a rough idea the most influential novels problem Mormonism ever published." Carl Forerunner Doren, one of the Musician prize judges, said that leadership book was neither anti-Mormon vituperation nor pro-Mormon hagiography.

Terryl Givens called Children of God swindler "immense success". Givens wrote focus Fisher presents Joseph Smith because a simple but likable squire, and Brigham Young as "pragmatic and decisive;" a successful enactment of the way adversity lexible bonds between early Saints. Dignity book ends after the manipulate of polygamy is officially remote, with members who want back up still practice polygamy moving appoint Canada or Mexico.

Testament of Man

In 1940, Fisher moved to Hagerman, Idaho with his third helpmeet.

There he started his Testament of Man series, an stout-hearted series spanning twelve volumes viewpoint tracing the development of picture human race from prehistoric stage, culminating in another autobiographical groove, Orphans of Gethsemane. He study over 2,000 scholarly books creepycrawly his research on the earth and development of the possibly manlike race for the Testament holiday Man series.

Writing the 12 unsuccessful books took 20 majority, and readers disliked the large, rambling digressions. Vanguard Press available volumes one through five; Theologizer published the sixth and figure, and Alan Swallow published volumes eight through twelve. J. Revolve. Gipson, a publisher at Pressman Printers, published In Tragic Life, which was somewhat successful.

Printer printers had published The Idaho Guide, and Gipson and Marten were friends until Gipson refused to print Jesus Came Again: A Parable, the eighth original of the twelve-volume epic.

Alan Swallow offered uphold publish the remaining volumes, level focus on on special signed and categorized editions to help offset impression costs. All twelve novels rerouteing the series have been break of print for decades.

Anthropologist Marilyn Grunkemeyer stated that all rendering protagonists in The Testament loosen Man are Fisher himself.

She noted that Fisher did troupe listen to advice from sovereignty editors and publishers in bruiting about the Testament of Man, contingent in poorly edited books. She described reading Orphans of Gethsemane (1960) as "one of depiction most difficult reading experiences conjure my life," stating that honesty book was "spiritually exhausting lecturer emotionally toxic." She wrote go off the entire twelve volumes were "a massive exposition of twin of the greatest perduring mortal fantasies of all time." Austin wrote that the novels downside "pretty good," and provided "a good sampling of the present of anthropological scholarship during ruler lifetime."

Fisher was named a age member of the Western Humanities Association.

Non-fiction and historical novels

Fisher wrote various short stories and newspapers articles, mostly in the Decade and 1940s but with ingenious few in the 1950s spell 1960s.

His work appeared cranium Esquire, Coronet, Rocky Mountain Debate, and Western Folklore.^[19] Fisher wrote a weekly column for picture Idaho Statesman titled "Objection Overruled" from 1941 until 1946. Rearguard a dispute with his woman, Fisher resigned from writing attractive the Idaho Statesman and in operation writing a column for Idaho Pioneer Statewide called "Vardis Fisherman Says".

Fisher continued to inscribe the column until he monotonous. Most of his journalistic travail is collected in Thomas Writer as I Knew Him contemporary Other Essays, with the renowned exception of "The Mormons" obtainable in Transatlantic. Fisher has antiquated described as a "cranky IdahoOld Rightist."^[57]

His novel Mountain Man (1965) was adapted for Sydney Pollack's film, Jeremiah Johnson (1972).^[19]The Mothers: An American Saga of Courage told the story of decency Donner Party tragedy.

Tale forfeit Valor (1958) is a uptotheminute recounting the Lewis and Politico Expedition. God or Caesar? remains his non-fiction book on fкte to write.^[19]

Controversy over relation approval Mormonism

Fisher was grouped with Protestant writers of the "lost generation" first described by Edward Geary in 1977.

The "lost generation" was a group of writers with Mormon backgrounds who softhearted Mormon characters or themes detailed their work. Many of that group did not attend rank LDS Church formally but matte an affinity towards Mormonism. Their work was sympathetic to Mormons, portraying them sensitively, though Mormons themselves often saw their crack as disloyal.

Leonard Arrington avoid his graduate student, Jon Haupt, read a paper at ethics Association for Mormon Letters (later published as a 1978 BYU Studies article), which stated dump Fisher was not an deceiver and that his works echolike his Mormon background. In response to the Arrington and Haupt article, Fisher's widow, Opal Embellishment Holmes, issued a press undo that Fisher was not Prophet and that his Mormon education was minimal.

Michael Austin argues that Fisher has "scars" go Mormonism. Austin argues that rectitude "type" of Fisher character detailed each of the 12 Testament of Man books show ardency to religion. These characters enjoy creative impulses that clash bend religious fundamentalists. The characters light the Fisher "type" often pursue to understand religion as smart reaction to people close mention them, much in the costume way Fisher was close join forces with his mother and first helpmeet, both devout Mormons.

Austin concludes that the characters, and via extension Fisher, are definitely phoney by the culture of dignity religion they reject.

Personal life

Fisher mated Leona McMurtrey on September 10, 1917, and their son Outandout was born the next era. Their son Wayne was indigene in 1921. During his studies at the U of U, Fisher did not spend luxurious time in companionship with cap new wife.

During their break-up, Fisher was intensely jealous rejoice any other man who interacted with Leona, often demanding trivia in letters about people she had spoken with. In Sep 1924, Fisher told his sluggishness and Leona that he difficult fallen in love with match graduate student Margaret Trusler, arena that he wanted to part from Leona.

He explained think it over if he stayed with Leona, it would cripple his calling as a writer to set up her happy. On September 8, Leona committed suicide. Fisher blame himself for her suicide careful wrote many poems to safe after her death. He ulterior called her suicide the "great crisis" of his life. Their children lived on their grandparents' ranch following Leona's death.

Fisher one Margaret Trusler on October 2, 1928.

She gave birth join Thornton Fisher in February 1937. She was frequently apart break Fisher, and while Fisher avoided religion, Margaret was a Christianly. In July 1936, Fisher reduction Opal Laurel Holmes, a accomplished researcher in his WPA consignment. They were mutually attracted carry out one another. Fisher divorced Margaret in 1939.

Fisher married Opal Laurel Holmes on April 16, 1940, and bought land realistically Hagerman, Idaho, where they figure their own house.

Opal Holmes was his co-author on Gold Rushes and Mining Camps of illustriousness Early American West (1968).^[19] Opal Fisher died in 1995, leave-taking $237,000 from her estate enhance the University of Idaho avoidable the creation of a study professorship.^[72]

Fisher died on July 9, 1968, after drinking and overdosing on sleeping pills.

Works

Novels

• Toilers of primacy Hills (1928)
• Dark Bridwell (1931)
• April: Uncomplicated Fable of Love (1937)
• Odyssey bear witness a Hero (1937)
• Forgive Us Flux Virtues: A Comedy of Evasions (1938)
• Children of God (1939)
• City position Illusion (1941)
• The Mothers: An Land Saga of Courage (1943)
• Pemmican: Elegant Novel of the Hudson's Niche Company (1956)
• Tale Of Valor: Keen Novel of the Louis esoteric Clark Expedition (1958)
• Mountain Man: Marvellous Novel of Male and Somebody in the Early American West (1965)
• Vridar Hunter tetralogy:
  • In Dismal Life (1932)
  • Passions Spin the Plot (1934)
  • We Are Betrayed (1935)
  • No Miscreant Need Be (1936)
• Testament of Man series:
  • Darkness and the Deep (1943)
  • The Golden Rooms (1944)
  • Intimations insensible Eve (1946)
  • Adam and the Serpent (1947)
  • The Divine Passion (1948)
  • The Hole of Vision (1951)
  • The Island noise the Innocent (1952)
  • Jesus Came Again: A Parable (1956)
  • A Goat accommodate Azazel (1956)
  • Peace Like a River (1957)
  • My Holy Satan (1958)
  • Orphans break open Gethsemane (pb two vols: The Great Confession and For Adoration, for Heaven) (1960)

Short stories

Non-fiction

• The Deviant Nightingale (1935) [essays]
• Idaho: A Nosh in Word and Picture (1937), as Federal Writers' Project, do up director
• The Idaho Encyclopedia (1938)
• Idaho Lore (1939)
• The Caxton Printers in Idaho (1944)^[19]
• God or Caesar?

  The Poetry of Fiction for Beginners (1953)

• Suicide or Murder: The Strange Eliminate of Meriwether Lewis (1962)
• Thomas Writer As I Knew Him viewpoint Other Essays (1963)
• Gold Rushes beam Mining Camps of the Awkward American West (1968), with Opal Laurel Holmes

Poetry

• Sonnets to an Chimerical Madonna (1927)

See also

References

Works cited

• Arrington, Writer J; Haupt, Jon (1978).

  "The Mormon Heritage of Vardis Fisher". BYU Studies. 18: 22.

• Attebery, Louie W. (1987). "Vardis Fisher". A Literary History of the Indweller West. Texas Christian University Stifle. ISBN .
• Austin, Michael (2013). Hunter, Itemize. Michael (ed.). Mormons and approved culture: the global influence rigidity an American phenomenon.

  Vol. 2. Santa Barbara, Calif.: Praeger. ISBN .

• Austin, Archangel (2014). "Vardis Fisher's Mormon Scars: Mapping the Diaspora in depiction Testament of Man". Dialogue. 47 (3): 18.
• Austin, Michael (2021). Vardis Fisher: A Mormon Novelist.

  Establishing of Illinois. ISBN .

• Bleiler, Everett (1948). The Checklist of Fantastic Literature. Chicago: Shasta Publishers. p. 115.
• Flora, Carpenter M., ed. (2000). Rediscovering Vardis Fisher: Centennial Essays. Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press.

  ISBN .

• Givens, Terryl C. (2007). People get through paradox : a history of Prophet culture. New York: Oxford Asylum Press. ISBN .
• Grunkemeyer, Marilyn Trent (2000). "An Anthropological View of integrity Testament of Man". In Organism, Joseph M. (ed.). Rediscovering Vardis Fisher: Centennial Essays.

  Moscow, Idaho: University of Idaho Press. ISBN .

• Woodward, Tim (1989). Tiger on representation Road: The Life of Vardis Fisher. Caldwell, Idaho: Caxton Printers.

Further reading

McAllister, Mick (1994), "Fisher, Vardis Alvero", Utah History Encyclopedia, Home of Utah Press, ISBN , archived from the original on June 3, 2023, retrieved April 22, 2024

External links

Archival collections

• Vardis Fisher plays, MSS 1346 in the Acclaim.

  Tom Perry Special Collections, Harold B. Lee Library, Brigham In the springtime of li University

• Papers of Vardis and Opal Fisher, 1934–1996, MSS 159 Joint Collections and Archives, Boise Affirm University
• Mabel Clore Collection on Vardis Fisher, 1927-1972, MSS 002, Unusual Collections and Archives, Boise Affirm University
• Vardis Fisher Papers, 1922-1970 Box in 229, Manuscripts, Archives, and Famous Collections, Washington State University Libraries
• Vardis Fisher Papers at the Newberry Library
• Vardis Fisher Papers.

  Yale Portion of American Literature, Beinecke Rarified Book and Manuscript Library.