John Graves (author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Graves
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John Graves
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| Born | August 6, 1920 |
| Died | July 31, 2013 (aged 92) |
| Occupation | writer |
| Known for | Goodbye to a River |
John Alexander Graves III (born August 6, 1920 – died July 31, 2013) was an American writer. He is best known for his famous book, Goodbye to a River. This book tells the story of a canoe trip he took down a Texas river.
The Life of John Graves
Growing Up in Texas
John Graves grew up in Fort Worth. He also spent time at his grandfather's ranch in Cuero. From a young age, he was very interested in the nature and land around him.
He went to college at Rice Institute, which is now called Rice University. He graduated in 1942. After college, he joined the Marine Corps and served as a captain during World War II. He was injured by a Japanese grenade on an island called Saipan.
After the war, John Graves went to graduate school at Columbia University. He earned his master's degree in 1948. While he was still at Columbia, in 1947, he published a short story called "Quarry" in The New Yorker magazine. He continued to write and publish stories in magazines through the 1950s.
A Writer's Journey
After an early marriage ended, John Graves traveled a lot. He spent a good amount of time in Spain and the Canary Islands. But in 1957, he came back to Texas to take care of his father, who was very sick.
In November 1957, Graves took a three-week canoe trip down part of the Brazos River. He was worried that new dams would change the river forever. His story about this trip was first published in Holiday magazine. Later, Graves added more history, ideas, and old stories to it. This became his first major book, Goodbye to a River, published in 1960.
The book became very popular across the country. People praised its unique writing style. It won an award called the Carr P. Collins Award in 1961. It was also nominated for a National Book Award that same year.
In 1970, John Graves and his family moved to a piece of land near Glen Rose, Texas. Graves named this place Hard Scrabble. He continued to write about his farm and country life. He published Hard Scrabble: Observations on a Patch of Land in 1974. Later, he released From a Limestone Ledge in 1980. This book was a collection of essays he had written for Texas Monthly magazine. It was also nominated for a National Book Award.
John Graves kept writing about the environment and the state of Texas. He passed away at his home near Glen Rose, Texas, on July 31, 2013. He was 92 years old.
See also
In Spanish: John Graves para niños
