With A Dream So Proud: The Life of Stephen Vincent Benet

This young adult book portrays the Life of writer and poet, Stephen Vincent Benet. He lived from 1888 to 1943. During that time, he was well known especially for John Brown’s Body and The Devil and Daniel Webster.

He lived as a young child in Benicia, California, where his father was a military leader. The author lives in Benicia and has captured his time in that town and the home where the Benet family lived in the beginning of the story. His education, family, and his frail health, as well as his financial struggles throughout his life are all part of the story.

A very patriotic person, Benet was unable to serve in the military because of his poor eyesight–he tried by memorizing the eye chart–but was caught and dismissed. In World War II, he wrote various articles for the war effort and was unwilling to take payment. When he did win a Pultizer Prize, it was in 1929. He invested it in the stock market, shortly before the crash.

This carefully researched book recaptures the life and spirit of Benet, who is relatively unknown at this time.