Josephine Spencer
Encyclopedia
Josephine Spencer published over 100 poems
and over 75 short stories
, primarily in regional and religious publications of Utah
. Beginning in the 1890s, "Spencer was hired as the Deseret News society and literary editor, a job she held for decades." Spencer never married. She was active in civic organizations such as Daughters of the Utah Pioneers
. She moved to California
at the end of her life, probably working for the Pasadena Star. The bulk of Spencer's work is typical of the Home Literature style of LDS literature, characterized by didacticism and stringent morality. At the end of her life, however, she published "Little Mother," a reworking of her 1910 story "To Keep" and "with one stunning rewrite, Spencer broke out of Home Literature's safety and wrestled with sensitive questions about mohtering, family relationships, gender roles, and ultimately, faith in God." She died five months after its publication.
The sole collection of her work to-date, The Senator from Utah and Other Tales of the Wasatch, was published in 1895 in Salt Lake City by George Q. Cannon & Sons.
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
and over 75 short stories
Short story
A short story is a work of fiction that is usually written in prose, often in narrative format. This format tends to be more pointed than longer works of fiction, such as novellas and novels. Short story definitions based on length differ somewhat, even among professional writers, in part because...
, primarily in regional and religious publications of Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
. Beginning in the 1890s, "Spencer was hired as the Deseret News society and literary editor, a job she held for decades." Spencer never married. She was active in civic organizations such as Daughters of the Utah Pioneers
Daughters of the Utah Pioneers
The International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers is a women's organization dedicated to preserving the history of the original settlers of the geographic area covered by the State of Deseret and Utah Territory, including Mormon pioneers...
. She moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
at the end of her life, probably working for the Pasadena Star. The bulk of Spencer's work is typical of the Home Literature style of LDS literature, characterized by didacticism and stringent morality. At the end of her life, however, she published "Little Mother," a reworking of her 1910 story "To Keep" and "with one stunning rewrite, Spencer broke out of Home Literature's safety and wrestled with sensitive questions about mohtering, family relationships, gender roles, and ultimately, faith in God." She died five months after its publication.
The sole collection of her work to-date, The Senator from Utah and Other Tales of the Wasatch, was published in 1895 in Salt Lake City by George Q. Cannon & Sons.