born Jan. 11, 1897, Ogden, Utah, U.S.
died Nov. 13, 1955, New York, N.Y.
U.S. journalist, historian, and critic.
De Voto taught at Northwestern and Harvard universities, briefly edited The Saturday Review (1936–38), and wrote a column for Harper's (1935–55). Known for his works on American literature and the history of the western frontier as well as for his vigorous, outspoken style, he was one of the most widely read critics and historians of his day. Among his nonfiction works are Mark Twain's America (1932), Across the Wide Missouri (1948, Pulitzer Prize), and The Course of Empire (1952).