A poet and writer of fiction and dramatic adaptations, Stephen Vincent Benét (1898-1943) retold materials from American history, legend, and folklore with charm, humor, fervor, and a sense of theatricality.

Stephen Vincent Benét was born on July 22, 1898, in Bethlehem, Pa. His family, originating in Minorca, had emigrated to Florida in the 18th century. Benét's father, an ordnance officer, and his grandfather, a general, had served in the U.S. Army. His older brother was the poet and man of letters William Rose Benét.

Stephen spent his childhood in California and Georgia, where his father was stationed at government arsenals. His father had a discriminating taste in literature, and Stephen began to write as a child, winning prizes from the St. Nicholas magazine. He attended Summerville Academy and then entered Yale University in 1915, having already published a collection of dramatic monologues...