Bernard DeVoto

Easton Press Bernard DeVoto books

The Course of Empire - Library of American History - 1988
The Year of Decision 1846 - Library of American History - 1996

Franklin Library Bernard DeVoto books

Across the Wide Missouri - Pulitzer Prize Classics - 1984

 

Bernard DeVoto biography

Bernard DeVoto, born on January 11, 1897, in Ogden, Utah, was an American historian, essayist, and literary critic known for his insightful works on American history and culture. DeVoto's life and career were characterized by a passion for literature, history, and a commitment to preserving the nation's natural heritage. Growing up in the American West, DeVoto developed an early fascination with the region's history and landscapes. He attended the University of Utah, where he studied English and began his career as a writer and editor. His first major work, Mark Twain's America (1932), established him as a leading literary critic and marked the beginning of his exploration of American cultural history.

DeVoto's interests extended beyond literature, and he became an influential advocate for the conservation of public lands. His commitment to preserving the American wilderness led him to write extensively on the subject, and he played a key role in the establishment of the American Heritage Foundation, an organization dedicated to the protection of natural resources.

One of DeVoto's most significant works is the trilogy on the history of the American West: The Year of Decision: 1846 (1942), Across the Wide Missouri (1947), and The Course of Empire (1952). These works earned him the Pulitzer Prize for History and solidified his reputation as a preeminent historian of the American West.

In addition to his historical writings, DeVoto was a regular contributor to Harper's Magazine, where he penned a popular monthly column called "The Easy Chair." His essays covered a wide range of topics, from literature and politics to cultural criticism, and showcased his wit and erudition. Bernard DeVoto passed away on November 13, 1955, at the age of 58. His contributions to American literature, history, and conservation left a lasting legacy. His advocacy for the protection of public lands and his historical writings continue to be influential, inspiring subsequent generations of scholars, writers, and conservationists. DeVoto's multifaceted career reflects a deep engagement with the complexities of American culture and a profound commitment to preserving both its literary and natural heritage.

 

Across The Wide Missouri - Trilogy of the West Book 1

Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Bancroft Prize. Across the Wide Missouri tells the compelling story of the climax and decline of the Rocky Mountain fur trade during the 1830s. More than a history, it portrays the mountain fur trade as a way of business and a way of life, vividly illustrating how it shaped the expansion of the American West.

 

The Year of Decision 1846 - Trilogy of the West Book 2

Year of Decision 1846 tells many fascinating stories of the U.S. explorers who began the western march from the Mississippi to the Pacific, from Canada to the annexation of Texas, California, and the southwest lands from Mexico. It is the penultimate book of a trilogy which includes Across the Wide Missouri (for which DeVoto won both the Pulitzer and Bancroft prizes) and The Course of Empire. DeVoto's narrative covers the expanding Western frontier, the Mormons, the Donner party, Fremont's exploration, the Army of the West, and takes readers into Native American tribal life. 

 

The Course of Empire - Trilogy of the West Book 3

Tracing North American Exploration from Balboa to Lewis and Clark, Devoto tells in a classic fashion how the drama of discovery defined the American nation. The Course of Empire is the third volume in historian Bernard Devoto’s monumental trilogy of the West. Entertaining and incisive, this is the dramatic story of three hundred years of exploration of North America leading up to 1805.