Odell Shepard

Odell Shepard (1884–1964) was an American writer, editor, and academic. He served for many years as editor of *The New England Quarterly*, helping shape the journal’s reputation for scholarship on American literature and history. Shepard also wrote books that ranged from literary criticism to cultural and mythic subjects. Among his best-known works are *Pedlar’s Progress* and *The Lore of the Unicorn*, the latter reflecting his interest in legend and symbolism. In addition to his editorial and authorial work, Shepard held academic posts and contributed essays and reviews to periodicals, combining a scholar’s rigor with a wide-ranging curiosity.