Fresh out of a Defiance, Ohio, high school, Thomas Boyd (1898–1935) joined the Marines to serve his country in the patriotic heat of the spring of 1917. In 1919 he came home from the war with a Croix de Guerre and a desire to write. He joined the St. Paul News as a journalist and opened a bookstore, whose patrons included F. Scott Fitzgerald and Sinclair Lewis. Through the Wheat appeared to immediate acclaim, with F. Scott Fitzgerald calling it "a work of art" and "arresting." Boyd wrote five other works before he died in Vermont of a cerebral hemorrhage at age thirty-seven.
Thomas Boyd Book order (chronological)
Thomas Boyd's writing primarily explores the profound impact of war on the human psyche, drawing heavily from his personal experiences. He infused his narratives with observations from the socialist movements that engaged him later in life. His prose is characterized by a raw authenticity, effectively capturing the visceral nature of conflict and its aftermath. Boyd's literary significance lies in his unflinching portrayal of wartime horrors and his reflections on the social currents of his era.
