James Tate

Anthony Caleshu (University of Plymouth)

Ed. by Nick Selby, University of East Anglia
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 3.2.4: American (US) Writing and Culture: Postwar and Contemporary, 1945-present.
Vol. editors: Sofia Ahlberg (Uppsala University), Patrick Chura (University of Akron), Emory Elliott (University of California, Riverside), Dale Enggass (University of Utah), Christopher Hugh Gair (University of Glasgow), Matthew Hofer (University of New Mexico), Stephen E. Meats (Pittsburg State University), Kerry Myler (Birmingham Newman University), Justin Parks (UiT - The Arctic University of Norway), Nick Selby (University of East Anglia)

Dates

Born 6 Dec 1943
Activity 1967-ongoing

Places

Born in United States
Active in United States

Activities

Primary

Poet
Teacher/ Professor

Resources

Tate's Works

Save to Bookshelf

James Tate was just 23 years old in 1967 when his first book,

The Lost Pilot

, appeared as winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award, the preeminent prize of its time. As a measure of just how well his first book was received, Julian Symons in

New Statesmen

wrote how he turned with “pleasure” to Tate after reviewing Anne Sexton, William Carlos Williams, and James Dickey. He then went on to single Tate out as the “most distinctive” when considered in relation to Donald Justice and John Ashbery.After such an auspicious beginning, Tate continued publishing regularly through the 1970s and into the 80s, with books appearing frequently, every one to three years. Though occasionally delving into linguistic experimentation (most noticeable in

Hints to Pilgrims

(1971), parts of

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3033 words

Citation: Caleshu, Anthony. "James Tate". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 22 June 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=12285, accessed 21 November 2024.]