|
Emerson Hough (1857–1923) was an American author best known for writing western stories and historical novels. ==Career== Hough was born in Newton, Iowa on June 28, 1857. He was in Newton High School's first graduating class of three in 1875.〔Newton High School: ("Our History" )〕 He graduated from the University of Iowa with a bachelor's degree in philosophy in 1880 and later studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1882.〔Wylder, 18〕 His first article, "Far From The Madding Crowd," was published in ''Forest and Stream'' in 1882.〔 He moved to White Oaks, New Mexico, practiced law there, and wrote for the White Oaks newspaper ''Golden Era'' for a year and a half, returning to Iowa when his mother was ill.〔Wylder, 21-3〕 He later wrote a novel, ''Story of the Outlaw'', a study of the western desperado, which included profiles of Billy the Kid and Pat Garrett. Hough moved to New Mexico after Garrett shot Billy the Kid, and he became a friend of Garrett.〔''Story of Outlaw'', back cover〕 He wrote for various newspapers in Des Moines, Iowa, Sandusky, Ohio, Chicago, Illinois, St. Louis, Missouri, and Wichita, Kansas.〔Wylder, 24〕 In 1889 he got a position as western editor of ''Forest and Stream'', editing the "Chicago and the West" column.〔Wylder, 26〕 He was hired by George Bird Grinnell, the owner of ''Field and Stream'', who founded the Audubon Society in 1886 which, along with Theodore Roosevelt's Boone and Crockett Club, was a leader in the conservation movement.〔Wylder, 79〕 Hough was also a conservationist. One of his projects for ''Forest and Stream'' was to survey Yellowstone National Park in midwinter 1893, with a guide and 2 soldiers from the nearby fort of the same name. There were supposed to be more than 500 buffalo there, but their count barely reached 100. Due to Hough's report, eastern newspapers took up the cause against poaching, and in May 1894 the U.S. Congress passed a law making poaching of game in national parks a punishable offense.〔Wylder, 80〕 Later, he and other ''Saturday Evening Post'' writers wrote a letter for Stephen Mather and George Horace Latimer to sign, advocating the creation of a national park system. The National Park Service was created in 1916.〔chapter 12, a national park service is born, 1916 ???〕 In addition, he was a co-founder of the Izaak Walton League, an organization of outdoorsmen, in 1922.〔McCook Daily Gazette: ("Isaak Walton League back on track," April 14, 2004 ), accessed July 5, 2010〕 He wrote the "Out-of-Doors" column for the ''Saturday Evening Post'' and these columns later appeared in book form.〔Wylder, 55〕 In 1902, Hough began his association with Bobbs-Merrill Company (then Bowen-Merrill), which published his first best-seller, ''The Mississippi Bubble''. Hough began a trilogy on America when he published ''54-40 or Fight'' in 1909, dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt. He dedicated the second volume, ''Purchase Price'', to U.S. Senator Albert Beveridge of Indiana in 1910 and the third, ''John Rawn'', to Woodrow Wilson in 1912.〔Wylder, 39〕 He nevertheless campaigned for Theodore Roosevelt, candidate of the Bull Moose Party, in the 1912 presidential election.〔Wylder, 49〕 Reviewers noted the political nature of Hough's Western fiction. One reviewer wrote that ''John Rawn'' was "not a novel at all; it is an arraignment; it is propaganda" for progressive Republicans or the Democrats. It condemned protective tariffs and presented consistently negative portrait of money-driven characters. The review was positive, praising the novelist's portrait of his main character, but little else. Hough "makes his point, and hammers it hard. He leaves nothing for the reader to guess....He goes at it all with bludgeon and battle-ax....He has, as a fighter, a strong style. His book is well worth reading. But it is not art."〔''New York Times'': ("A Fine Story," March 17, 1912 ), accessed March 24, 2010〕 Hough responded at length and with good humor, citing widely divergent views of the novel. He explained that a story of "blackguards and traitors" should not lead anyone to the conclusion that he believes such characters typify American society, rather that "imitation of blackguards and traitors is not a fit ambition for Americans."〔''New York Times'': ("Why Authors Go Insane," April 7, 1912 ), accessed March 24, 2010〕 He took a public position during the election of 1916, adding his name to a letter sent on behalf of the Roosevelt Authors' League pledging support to Theodore Roosevelt because "the international crisis makes your re-election to the Presidency essential to the ultimate welfare of our country." It praised "the splendid fight you are making for Americanism" and had harsh words for the administration of Woodrow Wilson.〔''New York Times'': ("Find in Dewey a Roosevelt Aid," May 27, 1916 ), accessed March 24, 2010〕 His other notable works included ''Story of the Cowboy'', "which received a high recommendation from President Theodore Roosevelt,"〔''New York Times'': ("Books and Men," April 26, 1902 ), accessed March 24, 2010〕 ''Way of the West'', ''Singing Mouse Stories'', and ''The Passing of the Frontier''. Among his historical novels, ''The Magnificent Adventure'' in 1916 was set at the time of the Louisiana Purchase and the Lewis and Clark Expedition and told, said one reviewer, "a good stirring tale."〔''New York Times'': ("William McFee's Story of the Sea," September 3, 1916 ), accessed March 24, 2010〕 In 1889 Hough wrote ''Madre D'Oro'', a four-act spectacular drama about the Spanish conquest of the Aztecs.〔Wylder, 26; ''Mother of Gold'' become the title of one of his novels in 1924〕 With L. Frank Baum, author of ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'', he created two play treatments: ''The Maid of Athens: A College Phantasy'' and ''The King of Gee-Whiz''. Neither was ever completed or staged.〔Alla T. Ford, ed., ''The Musical Fantasies of L. Frank Baum''〕 He also wrote autobiographical works, such as "Getting a Wrong Start", published anonymously as a serial in the ''Saturday Evening Post'' in 1913. It appeared in book form two years later.〔Wylder, 55; published by Macmillan.〕 He then wrote "Emerson Hough Himself-by Himself" for the ''Post'' in 1917.〔''Saturday Evening Post'', June 30, 1917, RootsWeb: ("Emerson Hough Himself-by Himself" ), accessed July 5, 2010〕 Hough wrote the official account of the activities of the American Protective League (APL), a voluntary organization that attempted to enforce patriotism and stifle dissent during World War I. Called ''The Web: A Revelation of Patriotism'', it told the history of that controversial organization in glowing terms and called for a program of "selective immigration, deportation of un-Americans, and denaturalization of 'disloyal' citizens and anarchists." It said: "We must purify the source of America's population and keep it pure."〔Ann Hagedorn, ''Savage Peace: Hope and Fear in America, 1919'' (NY: Simon & Schuster, 2007), 226-7; Emerson Hough, ''The Web: A Revelation of Patriotism'' (Chicago: Reilly & Lee, 1919). For a review of ''The Web'', see ''New York Times'': ("What America Did," June 29, 1919 ), accessed March 17, 2010〕 When the APL organized teams of vigilantes to enforce the military draft, Hough described the places the organization was most needed: "We find that the great states of each coast are practically foreignNew York most of all."〔Christopher Cappozolla, ''Uncle Sam Wants You: World War I and the Making of the Modern American Citizen'' (NY: Oxford University Press, 2008), 45〕 During the war he wrote a pamphlet for a similar organization, the American Defense Society, called ''The Indefinite American Attitude Toward the War and When Shall It End''.〔''New York Times'': ("With Authors and Publishers," May 12, 1918 ), accessed March 24, 2010〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Emerson Hough」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|