Wright Morris preferred viewing his world through various lenses. Wright was born in 1910 in central Nebraska, where he lived for about nine years. He chose to watch and listen to his community “from cover.” You now have the privilege of enjoying his photography and writing, and in this book, you will see how his boyhood influenced his adult creativity. Come and meet Wright in this picture book biography of the boy from Central City!
Author’s Notes:
Wright Morris and I have a few things in common. Wright lived in Central City, Nebraska, for about nine years, and I lived there for thirteen. We both lived on the north side of the railroad tracks. Wright attended the new North Ward school as a student, and I was a teacher there in its final years. Wright’s dad and my own dad were both named William. Wright was Will’s son; I was Bill’s daughter. And, we were both privileged to meet Nancy B. Johnson, advisor extraordinaire, with whom I communicated while writing this little biography!
Wright Morris’s photography has always intrigued me. It is a challenge to take his “inhabited” photos in black-and-white, but I challenge you to try. Wright called his photos “inhabited” because they showed evidence that people had been present, but there were no people in most of his photos. He also emphasized verticals and horizontals, light and shadow, commonplace and manmade subjects, and a front approach. (You will remember how he peered through porch slats!) To see how his boyhood influenced his adult creativity, study Wright’s photos in a book or online, then grab a phone or a camera and have fun capturing some photos—Wright’s way!
If you can visit Central City, Nebraska, stop in to see the boyhood home of Wright Morris.
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