Wallace Stegner (1909–1993) was an American novelist, historian, and environmental writer often called the “Dean of Western Writers” for his influential portrayals of the American West. Born in Lake Mills, he grew up in various locations across the western United States and Canada, experiences that shaped his deep connection to landscape and regional identity. He studied at the University of Utah and later earned a doctorate from the University of Iowa.

Stegner is best known for novels such as The Big Rock Candy Mountain and Angle of Repose, the latter of which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. His writing blends historical insight with intimate character studies, often examining themes of memory, family, and the tension between individual ambition and the limits imposed by environment. In addition to fiction, he wrote essays and histories that advocated for conservation and responsible stewardship of natural resources.

A respected teacher as well as a writer, Stegner founded the creative writing program at Stanford University, where he mentored a generation of important authors. His legacy endures both in his literary achievements and in his role as a leading voice for environmental awareness in the American West.