By Meghan E. Gattignolo
Clarksville is not as well-known as some other cities, but the area actually produced a few great writers of the 1920s and 30s. Elsewhere in the world, a major burst of creativity on the literary front was happening. Authors the likes of Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Faulkner published their great works during this time in the United States, while Christie, Joyce, and T.S. Eliot were becoming popular across the pond. Robert Penn Warren is probably the most notable writer to come from the Clarksville area. Less well-known but certainly deserving of more attention than they enjoy now are two women authors.
The Wave by Evelyn Scott. Published in 1929.
Evelyn Scott
Scott was born Elsie Dunn in Clarksville. Due to financial concerns, her family moved around many times through several different states during her childhood, and she came of age in New Orleans. Her education was mostly self-directed with the occasional tutor; she read voraciously so books became her way of understanding the world.
Scott’s first novel The Narrow House from 1921 is considered an important piece of 20th century literature, and catapulted her into literary fame at the time and critical acclaim. The book takes a critical view on domestic life, love, and social constructs, and is the first in a trilogy that follows the same characters.
Scott’s 1929 The Wave is one of her most influential works. Part of a trilogy that focuses on the Civil War, the novel uses a narrative style to highlight the individual story of several different people from all walks of life. Scott’s books kicked off a trend in novels about the Civil War throughout the 1930s.
Scott was also a literary critic and was asked by her publisher to write an essay about newcomer William Faulkner’s The Sound and Fury. Read her essay to see if you agree with Scott’s opinion.
Evelyn Scott as a child in Clarksville. Courtesy of the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center’s Collection.
Caroline Gordon
None Shall Look Back by Caroline Gordon, Published 1937.
Born in nearby Todd County, KY, Caroline lived in Clarksville with her husband, poet Allen Tate for several years. They both knew Robert Penn Warren, and both collaborated with the author and poet. Gordon and Tate’s home was called Benfolly. Standing tall near the Cumberland River, Benfolly was a popular place for other writers to spend time with the couple. Gordon and Tate would entertain with social events here, and some writers would even stay for weeks at a time at the comfortable home.
Gordon carved out time to write among her various social and domestic obligations, but eventually penned nine novels as well as three short story collections. Many of her books focus on the lives of Southern families living in Kentucky and Tennessee. Her first novel published in 1931, Penhally, is about the disintegration of a prestigious Southern family over four generations. It mirrors the experience of many Southern families following the Civil War and has been hailed as a great American novel. Another novel None Shall Look Back takes the Civil War as its setting, following a trend of Civil War fiction at the time. Published the year after Gone with the Wind in 1937, Gordon’s novel may not have the same reputation due to the incredible popularity of Margaret Mitchell’s more famous book. Gordon’s book, however, is more regionally interesting since the fictionalized events in her book take place closer to Clarksville.
1957’s interesting craft book How to Read a Novel shows Gordon’s sense of humor immediately in the first chapter titled “How Not to Read a Novel”. This is Gordon’s take on the role a novel has on a person’s life, what a novel is and isn’t, and she includes some fascinating insights from the perspective of an accomplished author.
Gordon was also a literary critic and mentor, and most famously mentored the Southern gothic writer Flannery O’Connor.
While it’s unlikely that Evelyn Scott and Caroline Gordon ever met, due in large part to Scott’s continuous moving around through her life, they are connected through both their association with Clarksville and the time period they wrote within and about. Both were women writing on a male-dominated backdrop, and both were interested in the motivations of regular people in the past and present. They are definitely wonderful examples of authors to come out of Clarksville and deserve far more attention in the 21st century. Click on the links above to take advantage of the free online resources and read some of the great books these two women have produced.
Additionally, Becoming Clarksville: Honoring Legacies of Leadership permanent exhibition in the Customs House Museum & Cultural Center tells some of Clarksville’s literary stories within the exhibit.
The Clarksville Writers Conference was created in honor of Clarksville’s rich literary history. The conference takes place June 5-6 and is open for registration.
Carolin Gordon. Courtesy of Customs House Museum’s Collections.
References
https://www.historythroughhomes.com/post/riverview-montgomery-co—benfolly-a-literary-sanctuary
https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/1/article/243208/pdf
Meghan E. Gattignolo is a freelance writer and longtime Clarksville, TN resident. She loves to obsess about historical subjects and annoy her family daily with unsolicited random facts. Meghan holds a History B.A. from Austin Peay State University and lives in town with her husband and two children.