Van Wyck Brooks (b. Plainfield, New Jersey, February 16, 1886; d. Bridgewater, Connecticut, May 2, 1963) was an American literary critic, biographer, and historian. Born into an affluent family, Brooks was educated at Harvard University and graduated in 1908. The masterpiece of his literary career was a series of studies entitled Makers and Finders, which chronicled the development of American literature during the long 19th century. Brooks' reputation rested especially on his success in weaving prolific biographical detail into brilliant anecdotal prose. In 1937, Brooks received the Pulitzer Prize in history for The Flowering of New England. Plainfield is a city located in Union County, which is in the northeastern part of New Jersey. ... February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1886 is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... Bridgewater is a town located in Litchfield County, Connecticut. ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 1963 was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Literary criticism is the study, discussion, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. ... Biography (from the Greek words bios meaning life, and graphein meaning write) is a genre of literature and other forms of media like film, based on the written accounts of individual lives. ... A historian is a person who studies history. ... Harvard University is a private university in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA, and a member of the Ivy League. ... The literature of the United States may be considered as belonging to English literature or as a distinct body of literature. ... The Long 19th Century refers to the period between 1789-1914, that is between the French Revolution which established a non-monarchial republic in Europe, to the beginnings of the World War I , the conclusion of which late in 1918 and via the Paris Peace Conference of 1919 eliminated many... 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-04-13, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ...