Walter D. Edmonds was born on July 15, 1903, in Boonville, New York. His childhood summers were spent with his brother and sister on his family's farm, and his first short story, written at the age of twelve, was based on his experiences in the country. Educated at private schools in the Northeast, such as Cutler School, St. Paul's, and Choate School, he remembers teachers who recognized his creativity and encouraged his interest in writing.

At Harvard, Professor Charles Townsend Copeland took a personal interest in Edmonds's career; Copeland's emphasis on simplicity in writing influenced Edmonds's work throughout his life. While taking a course with Copeland, Edmonds had his first story published, by Scribner's Magazine.

Edmonds's failure in his first Harvard chemistry course dissuaded him from pursuing a career in chemical engineering—his father's dream—and encouraged him to persevere with his writing. He...