Carl Clinton Van Doren

Date of Birth: September 10, 1885

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Date of Death: July 18, 1950

Biography

Carl Clinton Van Doren was an influential American critic and biographer, born on September 10, 1885. He was a prominent figure in the literary world, known for his critical analysis and biographical works. Van Doren was educated at the University of Illinois and later received his Ph.D. from Columbia University, where he also taught. His most notable work is his biography of Benjamin Franklin, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography in 1939. Van Doren was part of a notable literary family; his brother Mark Van Doren was also a distinguished writer and critic. Throughout his career, Carl Clinton Van Doren made significant contributions to American literature through his writings and editorships, including his work with the Cambridge History of American Literature. He passed away on July 18, 1950.

5 Interesting Facts about Carl Clinton Van Doren

1. Carl Clinton Van Doren won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 1939 for his work on Benjamin Franklin.

2. He was a part of the Van Doren literary family, which included his brother Mark Van Doren and his nephew Charles Van Doren.

3. Van Doren was a professor at Columbia University, where he influenced many students with his literary insights.

4. He edited and contributed to the Cambridge History of American Literature.

5. Van Doren served as the literary editor for The Nation and Century Magazine, shaping the discourse on American literature.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Carl Clinton Van Doren

1. “The first writers are first and the rest, in the long run, nowhere but in anthologies.”

2. “The art of biography is more difficult than is generally supposed.”

3. “In literature, as in love, we are astonished at what is chosen by others.”

4. “Books are the carriers of civilization. Without books, history is silent, literature dumb, science crippled, thought and speculation at a standstill.”

5. “A writer should understand the world he is writing about, and he should understand himself. If he has both these things, he has a chance of giving us good literature.”