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E.B. White, A Writer for All Ages
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| You’re missing out if Charlotte’s Web and Stuart Little are the only titles you associate with E.B White. We’ve gathered and reviewed our 10 favorite books—take a look. |
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(Photo: Kindra Clineff)
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Text by Kristen Shelton
Although many of us recognize E.B. White as the creator of wonderfully well-written children’s books, few realize that White spent a lifetime writing for adults. From his editorials at The New Yorker to essays written at his Maine farm, his work exhibits a graceful clarity of style and wit that should not be overlooked. In fact, we would be remiss if we didn’t mention that this same clear style is found in guide form—yes, E.B. White is the “White” of Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. We’ve composed a list of our top 10 favorite books written by and about White—check them out.
Essays of E.B. White , 1977, Harper & Row: A fabulous collection of White’s writings, divided into sections such as “The Farm,” “The Planet,” and “Books, Men, and Writing.” It’s a tough call, but my favorite is probably “The Sea and the Wind that Blows.” White’s description of a lifetime spent dreaming about boats is positively magical.
E.B. White: A Biography, by Scott Elledge, 1984, Norton: A great read, diligently researched and lovingly written. Published before White’s death, it paints a warm portrait of one of America’s most beloved writers, and provides a fascinating look into the early years of The New Yorker magazine.
Letters of E.B. White, 1976, Harper & Row: It should come as no surprise that a talented man of letters would also be a prodigious letter writer. Look for the 1936 note he wrote to his brother, Stanley Hart White, from their childhood vacation destination, Belgrade Lakes, Maine. “I returned to Belgrade,” he writes. “Things haven’t changed much.” And after a rich description of the lake and its sights and smells (pure poetry!), he concludes, “I thought somebody ought to know.”
Onward and Upward in the Garden, 2002, Beacon Press: A moving collection of essays by White’s wife, Katharine Sergeant White, the fiction editor of The New Yorker and a passionate gardener.
The Elements of Style, 2005, Penguin, illustrated by Maira Kalman: Found on almost every college student’s desk, this little book of grammar was composed in 1918 by Cornell professor William Strunk. Through a twist of fate, the publishers at Macmillan commissioned White to revise his former professor’s work several years after Strunk’s death. Unpretentiously, the guide sharply commands readers to “be clear” and—my personal favorite—“omit needless words.”
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