Stephan, Ruth, 1910-1974
Dates
- Existence: 1910 - 1974
Biography
The writer Ruth Stephan (born Charlotte Ruth Walgreen) published her first poems in the late 1930s in venues such as Harper's, Poetry, and Forum, and her first volume, Prelude to Poetry, was published in 1946. With her first husband, the painter John Stephan, she founded and edited the influential quarterly magazine The Tiger's Eye (1947-1951), which showcased the work of artists and writers with particular emphasis on abstract expressionism. In addition to further volumes of poetry, her work includes two novels based on the life of Queen Christina of Sweden, The Flight (1956) and My Crown, My Love (1960); a volume of translated Quechua stories and songs, The Singing Mountaineers (1957); an audio compilation, The Spoken Anthology of American Literature (1963); and a documentary film, Zen in Ryoko-in (1971). Her philanthropic work included establishing a poetry center at the University of Arizona in 1960.
Stephan was born in Chicago on January 21, 1910, the daughter of drugstore founder Charles R. Walgreen and Myrtle Norton Walgreen.
Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:
Ruth Stephan papers
Tiger's Eye records
The records document all aspects of the production and distribution of the little magazine The Tiger's Eye, from its inception in 1947 through the decision to cease publication in 1951. Correspondence, manuscripts, and business records document the creative and editorial process, the enthusiasm of its readership, its subscription base, and the work involved in producing and distributing the issues.