Herbert Krause was a poet, novelist, essayist, ornithologist, and environmentalist of the Northern Plains. Born in Minnesota, he moved west over the course of his career. In 1938 he established a writing school at Augustana University (SD). He also wrote the novels Wind Without Rain (1939) and The Oxcart Trail (1954).

Patrick Hicks, who wrote the introduction, is successor to Herbert Krause as Writer-in-Residence at Augustana University. His newest book, Greater Minnesota, was published in September 2025.