William Gass
William Gass
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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William Howard Gass was an American novelist, short story writer, critic, philosopher, and essayist.
Birth and Death Dates
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Gass was born on July 22, 1924, in Fargo, North Dakota. He passed away on December 9, 2017, at the age of 93, in St. Louis, Missouri.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Gass held American nationality and was a prominent figure in multiple literary fields: novelist, short story writer, critic, philosopher, and essayist.
Early Life and Background
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Gass grew up in Fort Benton, Montana, where his family moved when he was two years old. His early life was marked by a strong interest in literature and philosophy, which would later influence his writing style. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison before serving in the United States Army during World War II.
After the war, Gass continued his education at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop, where he earned his MFA degree. This marked a significant turning point in his life and career, as it set him on the path to becoming one of America's most celebrated writers.
Major Accomplishments
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Gass was a prolific writer who made significant contributions to multiple literary genres. Some of his major accomplishments include:
Publishing numerous novels, such as _Willie Masters' Lonesome Wife_, _Omensetter's Luck_, and _The Tunnel_. These works showcased Gass's mastery of complex, philosophical narrative structures.
Writing critically acclaimed short stories that explored the human condition with precision and nuance. His short story collections, like _In the Heart of the Country_ and _Benjamin's Piece_, demonstrated his ability to distill profound insights into concise, powerful narratives.
Publishing influential essays on literature, philosophy, and culture. Gass's nonfiction works often explored themes related to existentialism, phenomenology, and the human condition.Notable Works or Actions
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Gass was involved in several notable projects throughout his career. Some of these include:
Founding the journal _Salmagundi_, which served as a platform for him to explore philosophical and literary ideas.
Teaching at various institutions throughout his life, including Washington University in St. Louis, where he held the Gornette Chair in Literature.Impact and Legacy
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Gass's work has had a lasting impact on American literature. His innovative narrative structures, philosophical themes, and lyrical prose have influenced generations of writers.
Innovative narrative styles: Gass's experimental approach to storytelling has inspired many writers to push the boundaries of literary form.
Philosophical themes: His exploration of existentialism, phenomenology, and other philosophical ideas has enriched American literature with a deeper understanding of human existence.
Lyrical prose: Gass's writing style has been praised for its musicality, which has set a high standard for prose in American literature.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Gass is widely quoted and remembered due to his:
Prolific output: He published numerous novels, short stories, essays, and literary critiques throughout his career.
Innovative style: Gass's experimental approach to narrative has influenced many writers, making him a respected figure in American literature.
* Philosophical depth: His exploration of existentialism, phenomenology, and other philosophical ideas has added richness and complexity to American literature.
Quotes by William Gass
If you believed yourself to be a writer of eminence, you are now assured of being over the hill-not a sturdy mountain flower but a little wilted lily of the valley.
Books didn't figure in my family very much. . . . However, my grandmother's attic was full of old, old books . . . In the summers we would go to North Dakota to visit her, and I would get in that attic and read everything in sight. That's when the passion started. I was maybe eight or nine.
The expression "to write something down" suggests a descent of thought to the fingers whose movements immediately falsify it.
We have scarcely gotten home . . . when our children's sneezes greet us, skinned knees bleed after waiting all day to do so.
Be happy because no one is seeing what you do, no one is listening to you, no one really cares what may be achieved, but sometimes accidents happen and beauty is born.
As Rilke observed, love requires a progressive shortening of the senses: I can see you for miles; I can hear you for blocks, I can smell you, maybe, for a few feet, but I can only touch on contact, taste as I devour
I am firmly of the opinion that people who can’t speak have nothing to say. It’s one more thing we do to the poor, the deprived: cut out their tongues … allow them a language as lousy as their life
So to the wretched writer I should like to say that there’s one body only whose request for your caresses is not vulgar, is not unchaste, untoward, or impolite: the body of your work itself; for you must remember that your attentions will not merely celebrate a beauty but create one; that yours is love that brings it own birth with it, just as Plato has declared, and that you should therefore give up the blue things of this world in favor of the words which say them