A prolific novelist, Glendon Swarthout was known for reader-friendly linear plots that maintain interest and attract readers of all ages. Active as both an educator and fiction-writer, Swarthout is best remembered for his bestselling novel Bless the Beasts and Children as well as The Shootist, a novel set in the American West where the author eventually made his home. Before becoming a full-time writer, Swarthout taught English at several universities, including Michigan State and Arizona State. He penned his first book, Willow Run, in 1943, and during his half-century writing career dabbled in a variety of other genres, from short stories and mysteries to film scripts and plays to articles for periodicals. The versatile writer additionally teamed up with his wife, Kathryn Vaughn Swarthout, on books for both young adults and children. A number of Swarthout's novels were adapted for the screen, including Where the Boys Are, The Shootist...