Stamp of a Writer: Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
This year marks the completion of 75 years of the publication of The Yearling by American author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1896-1953). The novel, which is now included in the young-adult or teen fiction category, was written in 1938 and won the Pulitzer Prize a year later. It was made into a film in 1946, starring Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman.
Rawlings lived in rural Florida which shaped much of her writing that includes many short stories and novels which, apart from her best-known work The yearling, include South Moon Under (1933) and Cross Creek (1942). The 1932 Gal Young Un short story won the O. Henry Award First Prize.
The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park in Cross Creek, Florida, will celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Yearling with several programmes planned from April 2012 to April 2013.
"Even after 75 years, this story of a young boy and his pet fawn, as they mature from one spring to the next in the Florida scrub, rings with authenticity and life," the Historic State Park said.
According to the Park's website, "Visitors to this Florida homestead can walk back in time to 1930s farm life where Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings lived and worked in the tiny community of Cross Creek. Her cracker style home and farm, where she lived for 25 years and wrote her Pulitzer prize-winning novel The Yearling, has been restored and is preserved as it was when she lived here."
The United States Postal Service released the above commemorative stamp in 2008 honouring Rawlings and the literary arts. In 2007, the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings house and farm yard was designated as a National Historic Landmark.
Below are a few of her quotes that include lines from The Yearling and Cross Creek.
"Sorrow was like the wind. It came in gusts."
A woman has got to love a bad man once or twice in her life to be thankful for a good one.
"Somewhere beyond the sink-hole, past the magnolia, under the live oaks, a boy and a yearling ran side by side, and were gone forever."
"You know what I wisht I had, Ma? A pouch like a 'possum, to tote things."
“Madness is only a variety of mental nonconformity and we are all individualists here.”
“I do not understand how anyone can live without some small place of enchantment to turn to.”
“Now he understood. This was death. Death was a silence that gave back no answer.”
For previous Celebrity Stamps, look under Labels.
This year marks the completion of 75 years of the publication of The Yearling by American author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (1896-1953). The novel, which is now included in the young-adult or teen fiction category, was written in 1938 and won the Pulitzer Prize a year later. It was made into a film in 1946, starring Gregory Peck and Jane Wyman.
The Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Historic State Park in Cross Creek, Florida, will celebrate the 75th anniversary of The Yearling with several programmes planned from April 2012 to April 2013.
"Even after 75 years, this story of a young boy and his pet fawn, as they mature from one spring to the next in the Florida scrub, rings with authenticity and life," the Historic State Park said.
The United States Postal Service released the above commemorative stamp in 2008 honouring Rawlings and the literary arts. In 2007, the Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings house and farm yard was designated as a National Historic Landmark.
"Sorrow was like the wind. It came in gusts."
A woman has got to love a bad man once or twice in her life to be thankful for a good one.
"Somewhere beyond the sink-hole, past the magnolia, under the live oaks, a boy and a yearling ran side by side, and were gone forever."
"You know what I wisht I had, Ma? A pouch like a 'possum, to tote things."
“Madness is only a variety of mental nonconformity and we are all individualists here.”
“I do not understand how anyone can live without some small place of enchantment to turn to.”
“Now he understood. This was death. Death was a silence that gave back no answer.”
For previous Celebrity Stamps, look under Labels.
I read the yearling in high school. Don't recall much about it. Maybe I should give it a reread.
ReplyDeleteSame here, Charles, though I remember the film better than the book.
DeleteNever heard of this book or this writer. It sounds a little melancholic. I'll see whether I can get a copy of it.
ReplyDeleteNeer, I'm sure you'll like the book as well as the film adaptation. Rawlings was quite a successful writer in her time.
DeleteThere is a wonderful movie about her. We went to her hometown to see where she lived years ago. A lovely part of Florida.
ReplyDeletePatti, that's fascinating. A biopic about Rawlings would definitely be worth seeing.
DeleteThanks for that Prashant - I've only ever seen the film of THE YEARLING, which I think is a bit of a classic actually - some great info here. Cheers mate.
ReplyDeleteSergio
You're most welcome, Sergio. I have seen the film more than once as TCM used to telecast it often. I'd rate it as a classic.
Deletethanks for sharing this-the stamp is so beautiful
ReplyDeleteMel, I'm glad you liked the stamp. I agree it's a beauty. I hope you will review her short stories.
Delete