Morris was born in Central City, Nebraska; his boyhood home is on the National Register of Historic Places.

After Grace's death, Wright was cared for by a nanny, until his father made a trip to Omaha and returned with a young wife, Gertrude.

[2] Gertrude hated small-town life, but got along famously with Wright, as they shared many of the same childish tastes (both loved games, movies, and ice cream).

[4] Later that year, he accompanied his father on a road trip to the west coast that formed the basis for his first novel, My Uncle Dudley.

[9] Morris received numerous honors in addition to the National Book Awards for The Field of Vision[11] and Plains Song.

In 1975, he won the Mari Sandoz Award recognizing "significant, enduring contribution to the Nebraska book world".

In 1981, he won the Los Angeles Times' Book Prize Robert Kirsch Award for lifetime achievement.

[18] In 1982, a jury of Modern Language Association members selected him for the Common Wealth Award for distinguished service in literature.