The Belated Frontier: H. L. Davis and the Problem of Pacific Northwest Regionalism

T h e B e l a t e d F r o n t i e r : H . L . D a v i s a n d t h e P r o b l e m o f P a c i f i c N o r t h w e s t R e g i o n a l i s m J O H N C L E M A N T h e r e la t iv e o b sc u r it y o f t h e O r e g o n p o e t a n d n o v e list H a r o ld L e n o ir D a v is se e m s a n in e v it a b le st a r t in g p o in t fo r a n y d isc u ssio n o f t h e a u t h o r a n d h is w o r k . A lt h o u g h h e w o n a L e v in so n P o e tr y P rize in 1 9 1 9 a n d t h e 1 9 3 5 H a r p e r a n d 1 9 3 6 P u litze r p r izes fo r h is first n o v e l, Hone y in the H o rn (1 9 3 5 ), a n d a lt h o u g h h is st o r ie s a n d sk e t c h e s a p p e a r e d in su c h w e ll- k n o w n p e r io d ic a ls as Collie r’s, T he S aturday Ev e ning Post, a n d A m e rican Me rcury , H . L. D a v is is t o d a y v ir t u a lly u n k n o w n e x c e p t t o a few sp e c ia list s in lite r at u r e o f t h e A m e r ic a n W est . It is t e m p t in g t o su g­ ge st t h a t h is lite r ar y r e p u t a t io n h a s b e e n d im in ish e d b y t h e ge n e r a l n e g le c t o f w e st e r n w r ite r s a t t h e h a n d s o f a c r it ic a l e st a b lish m e n t st ill d o m in a t e d b y e a st e r n u r b a n it e s o r t h a t as a W h it e m a le e x - c o w b o y h e d o e s n o t fit a n y o f t h e c a t e g o r ie s o f e x c lu sio n fu e lin g r e c e n t r e c u p e r a ­ t io n a n d c a n o n r e v isio n p r o je c t s. H o w e v e r , as R ic h a r d B r o d h e a d h a s ar gu e d in Culture s o f Letters: Scenes o f Re ading and W riting in N ine te e nth'Ce ntury A m e rica (1 9 9 3 ), t h e r e is a n...