Henry Splawn Taylor was born in Loudoun County, Virginia, to Thomas Edward and Mary Splawn Taylor. His father owned and operated a large family farm and was an educator, a high school principal, as well. Taylor attended the Loudoun County public schools until 1958 when he entered George School. In 1960 he entered the University of Virginia from which he graduated with a B.A. in English in 1965. He spent 1965-1966 at Hollins College where he took an M.A. in creative writing. In June of 1965 he married Sarah Bean of Charlottesville, Virginia. The marriage was ended by divorce in 1967. In 1968 he married Frances Ferguson Carney of Norfolk, and from that union he is the father of two sons--Thomas and Richard. Since 1966 Taylor has held a number of teaching positions. Until 1968 he was an instructor of English at Roanoke College in Salem, Virginia. From 1968 to 1971 he served as an assistant...