Edgar Guest was a popular American poet in the first half of the 20th century. His poetry was known for its sentimental and optimistic tone. Guest created over 11,000 poems, which were syndicated in some 300 newspapers. He was awarded the honor of being named the first Poet Laureate of Michigan. Making a House a Home is a wonderful little book, which begins "We have been building a home for the last fifteen years, but it begins to look now as though it will not be finished for many years to come. This is not because the contractors are slow, or the materials scarce, or because we keep changing our minds. Rather it is because it takes years to build a home, whereas a house can be builded in a few months."