William Childress
Encyclopedia
William Childress is an American writer, author, poet, and photojournalist. Childress has received numerous awards, prizes, and accolades for his writing and poetry, and is regarded as one of the foremost poets of the Korean War
.
as a demolitions specialist in 1952. After the war he reenlisted as a paratrooper
, making 33 jumps, and twice narrowly escaping death from parachute malfunctions.
Three honorable discharges later, Childress attended Fresno State College in California
, studying English and Journalism
, and set a record as the only undergraduate to publish poetry, fiction and photojournalism
in national magazines (Display World, Mademoiselle
, and Poetry).
This helped him get two fellowships to the University of Iowa
Writers Workshop and a Master of Fine Arts
degree. His thesis later became his first book of poems, Lobo.
, McCall's
, Playboy
, Ladies' Home Journal
, Smithsonian
, Sports Afield
, TV Guide
, Air & Space Smithsonian, The Nation
, and The New Republic
, as well as approximately 6,000 magazine and newspaper photos.
For 14 years (from 1983 to 1997), Childress wrote a regular column for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
called "Out of the Ozarks." His column became so popular that in 1988 Childress wrote a book, also titled Out of the Ozarks
, which was published by Southern Illinois University Press
, and became a regional bestseller. Childress was also nominated (twice) for the Pulitzer Prize
, in the Commentary category.
, The Southern Review, Hearse, North American Review
, Georgia Review, and Northwest Review, as well as the University of Columbia American War Poetry Anthology (2007). He has published dozens of short stories, including "Uncle Roman," which won the prestigious STORY award in 1970. He has published three books of poetry: Burning the Years (1970, Barlenmir House), the Devins Award
-winning Lobo (1972, Barlenmir House), and Selected Poems (1986, Essai Sea Press). He has recently authored a fourth poetry book, Cowboys & Indians, the poems of which have all appeared in various magazines.
was published by Southern Illinois University Press. An ex-paratrooper and Korean War demolitions expert, Childress has also written a Korean War memoir, Working Man's War, which is due to be published soon. In addition, Childress has written a novel, The Taro Leaf Murders, and co-authored (with Frank Oberle) the photographic anthology Missouri on My Mind (1990, Falcon Press).
Award, and the above-mentioned Devins Award
. In 2004, Childress was awarded a $5,000 fellowship to the exclusive Millay Colony for the Arts
, a prestigious writer's retreat in upstate New York. Childress was also awarded the "Maxwell Medal" by the Dog Writers Association of America in 2003, for his story "Bonnie's Big Break."
Childress' work has been read on BBC radio, as well as featured in a 2003 Canadian Korean War documentary, "The Unfinished War." Childress has appeared on American television and radio numerous times.
In the mid-1980s, Childress was being considered (together with a number of other journalists) as a candidate for the Civilians in Space program, which aimed to put a journalist aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle
. However, the tragic 1986 death of teacher Christa McAuliffe
in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
put an end to the Civilians In Space program.
Childress is believed to be the first poet ever to use the word "braille" as a verb. This coinage appeared in his poem "The Dreamer" (1962, Harper's Magazine):
He spent his childhood hours in a den
of rushes, watching the grey rain braille
the surface of the river. Concealed
from the outside world, nestled within,
he was safe from parents, God, and eyes
that look upon him accusingly,
as though to say: Even at your age,
you could do better. His camouflage
was scant but it served, and at evening,
when fireflies burned holes into heaven,
he took a path homeward in the dark,
a small Noah, leaving his safe ark.
Childress submitted his coinage to the Editorial Staff of Webster's Dictionary
, and was informed that indeed, he did appear to be the creator of the word. But although the usage was eventually standardized (and is now a part of the English language), Childress has never been publicly credited with the neologism, until now.
Childress now lives in Folsom, California, with his wife Diane.
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
.
Biography
Born the oldest son of a poor family of migrant sharecroppers, Childress joined the Army at age 18, serving in the Korean WarKorean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
as a demolitions specialist in 1952. After the war he reenlisted as a paratrooper
Paratrooper
Paratroopers are soldiers trained in parachuting and generally operate as part of an airborne force.Paratroopers are used for tactical advantage as they can be inserted into the battlefield from the air, thereby allowing them to be positioned in areas not accessible by land...
, making 33 jumps, and twice narrowly escaping death from parachute malfunctions.
Three honorable discharges later, Childress attended Fresno State College in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, studying English and Journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
, and set a record as the only undergraduate to publish poetry, fiction and photojournalism
Photojournalism
Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism that creates images in order to tell a news story. It is now usually understood to refer only to still images, but in some cases the term also refers to video used in broadcast journalism...
in national magazines (Display World, Mademoiselle
Mademoiselle (magazine)
Mademoiselle was an influential women's magazine first published in 1935 by Street and Smith and later acquired by Condé Nast Publications....
, and Poetry).
This helped him get two fellowships to the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
Writers Workshop and a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
degree. His thesis later became his first book of poems, Lobo.
Photojournalism
During his 45-year photojournalism career, Childress has published some 4,000 articles in various magazines and other publications, including National Geographic, Country Living, The Saturday Evening PostThe Saturday Evening Post
The Saturday Evening Post is a bimonthly American magazine. It was published weekly under this title from 1897 until 1969, and quarterly and then bimonthly from 1971.-History:...
, McCall's
McCall's
McCall's was a monthly American women's magazine that enjoyed great popularity through much of the 20th century, peaking at a readership of 8.4 million in the early 1960s. It was established as a small-format magazine called The Queen in 1873...
, Playboy
Playboy
Playboy is an American men's magazine that features photographs of nude women as well as journalism and fiction. It was founded in Chicago in 1953 by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother. The magazine has grown into Playboy Enterprises, Inc., with...
, Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal
Ladies' Home Journal is an American magazine which first appeared on February 16, 1883, and eventually became one of the leading women's magazines of the 20th century in the United States...
, Smithsonian
Smithsonian (magazine)
Smithsonian is the official journal published by the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. The first issue was published in 1970.-History:...
, Sports Afield
Sports Afield
Sports Afield was founded in 1887 as a hunting and fishing magazine by Claude King and is the oldest continuous outdoor publication in North America. The first issue, in January 1888, was eight pages long and printed on newspaper stock, published in Denver, Colorado...
, TV Guide
TV Guide
TV Guide is a weekly American magazine with listings of TV shows.In addition to TV listings, the publication features television-related news, celebrity interviews, gossip and film reviews and crossword puzzles...
, Air & Space Smithsonian, The Nation
The Nation
The Nation is the oldest continuously published weekly magazine in the United States. The periodical, devoted to politics and culture, is self-described as "the flagship of the left." Founded on July 6, 1865, It is published by The Nation Company, L.P., at 33 Irving Place, New York City.The Nation...
, and The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, as well as approximately 6,000 magazine and newspaper photos.
For 14 years (from 1983 to 1997), Childress wrote a regular column for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch is the major city-wide newspaper in St. Louis, Missouri. Although written to serve Greater St. Louis, the Post-Dispatch is one of the largest newspapers in the Midwestern United States, and is available and read as far west as Kansas City, Missouri, as far south as...
called "Out of the Ozarks." His column became so popular that in 1988 Childress wrote a book, also titled Out of the Ozarks
Out of the Ozarks
Out of the Ozarks is the title of a 1988 book by Pulitzer Prize-nominated journalist William Childress, about his life and experiences in the rural American midwest region known as the Ozarks. The book, published by Southern Illinois University Press, is a collection of stories culled from...
, which was published by Southern Illinois University Press
Southern Illinois University Press
Southern Illinois University Press, founded in 1956, is a university press located in Carbondale, Illinois.The press publishes approximately 50 titles annually, among its more than 1,200 titles currently in print....
, and became a regional bestseller. Childress was also nominated (twice) for the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
, in the Commentary category.
Poetry and short stories
Childress has published some 350 poems, in such journals as Poetry Magazine, Poet LorePoet Lore
Poet Lore is an English-language literary magazine based in Bethesda, Maryland. Established in 1889, Poet Lore is the oldest continuously published poetry magazine in the United States....
, The Southern Review, Hearse, North American Review
North American Review
The North American Review was the first literary magazine in the United States. Founded in Boston in 1815 by journalist Nathan Hale and others, it was published continuously until 1940, when publication was suspended due to J. H. Smyth, who had purchased the magazine, being unmasked as a Japanese...
, Georgia Review, and Northwest Review, as well as the University of Columbia American War Poetry Anthology (2007). He has published dozens of short stories, including "Uncle Roman," which won the prestigious STORY award in 1970. He has published three books of poetry: Burning the Years (1970, Barlenmir House), the Devins Award
Devins Award for Poetry
The Devins Award for Poetry is an American literary award for a book of poetry in the English language.This prize of the University of Missouri Press in Columbia, Missouri, USA was made possible with funding by Dr. and Mrs. A...
-winning Lobo (1972, Barlenmir House), and Selected Poems (1986, Essai Sea Press). He has recently authored a fourth poetry book, Cowboys & Indians, the poems of which have all appeared in various magazines.
Non-fiction, memoirs, and novels
In 2006, Childress' autobiographical memoir An Ozark OdysseyAn Ozark Odyssey
An Ozark Odyssey is an autobiographical memoir written by Pulitzer Prize nominee William Childress. The book tells the story of Childress' turbulent childhood and youth in the American Ozarks, his relationship with his stoic stepfather Jay Childress, and his journey into adulthood.The book was...
was published by Southern Illinois University Press. An ex-paratrooper and Korean War demolitions expert, Childress has also written a Korean War memoir, Working Man's War, which is due to be published soon. In addition, Childress has written a novel, The Taro Leaf Murders, and co-authored (with Frank Oberle) the photographic anthology Missouri on My Mind (1990, Falcon Press).
Literary awards and other accolades
In addition to his two Pulitzer Prize nominations, Childress' literary awards and achievements include the Joseph Henry Jackson Poetry Award, the State of Illinois Literary Award, the Poetry Society of AmericaPoetry Society of America
The Poetry Society of America is a literary organization founded in 1910 by poets, editors, and artists including Witter Bynner. It is the oldest poetry organization in the United States. Past members of the have included such renowned writers as Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent...
Award, and the above-mentioned Devins Award
Devins Award for Poetry
The Devins Award for Poetry is an American literary award for a book of poetry in the English language.This prize of the University of Missouri Press in Columbia, Missouri, USA was made possible with funding by Dr. and Mrs. A...
. In 2004, Childress was awarded a $5,000 fellowship to the exclusive Millay Colony for the Arts
Millay Colony for the Arts
The Millay Colony for the Arts is an artist residency program in Austerlitz, New York. The colony offers one month residencies to visual artists, writers, poets and composers. The Millay Colony for the Arts was founded in 1973 by Norma Millay Ellis, sister of the poet Edna St...
, a prestigious writer's retreat in upstate New York. Childress was also awarded the "Maxwell Medal" by the Dog Writers Association of America in 2003, for his story "Bonnie's Big Break."
Childress' work has been read on BBC radio, as well as featured in a 2003 Canadian Korean War documentary, "The Unfinished War." Childress has appeared on American television and radio numerous times.
In the mid-1980s, Childress was being considered (together with a number of other journalists) as a candidate for the Civilians in Space program, which aimed to put a journalist aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle
The Space Shuttle was a manned orbital rocket and spacecraft system operated by NASA on 135 missions from 1981 to 2011. The system combined rocket launch, orbital spacecraft, and re-entry spaceplane with modular add-ons...
. However, the tragic 1986 death of teacher Christa McAuliffe
Christa McAuliffe
Christa McAuliffe was an American teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, and was one of the seven crew members killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster....
in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
put an end to the Civilians In Space program.
Childress is believed to be the first poet ever to use the word "braille" as a verb. This coinage appeared in his poem "The Dreamer" (1962, Harper's Magazine):
He spent his childhood hours in a den
of rushes, watching the grey rain braille
the surface of the river. Concealed
from the outside world, nestled within,
he was safe from parents, God, and eyes
that look upon him accusingly,
as though to say: Even at your age,
you could do better. His camouflage
was scant but it served, and at evening,
when fireflies burned holes into heaven,
he took a path homeward in the dark,
a small Noah, leaving his safe ark.
Childress submitted his coinage to the Editorial Staff of Webster's Dictionary
Webster's Dictionary
Webster's Dictionary refers to the line of dictionaries first developed by Noah Webster in the early 19th century, and also to numerous unrelated dictionaries that added Webster's name just to share his prestige. The term is a genericized trademark in the U.S.A...
, and was informed that indeed, he did appear to be the creator of the word. But although the usage was eventually standardized (and is now a part of the English language), Childress has never been publicly credited with the neologism, until now.
Childress now lives in Folsom, California, with his wife Diane.
Literary works
- Burning the Years (1970)
- Lobo (1972)
- Selected Poems (1986)
- Out of the Ozarks (1988)
- Missouri On My Mind (1990)
- An Ozark Odyssey (2006)