F. Scott Fitzgerald

James L. W. West

The first edition ever published of Trimalchio, original version of Fitzgerald's classic The Great Gatsby.

An Early Version of The Great Gatsby

Trimalchio

The American novelist discusses literature, his writings, and the role of history in fiction

Conversations with William Styron

Theodore Dreiser

Intermittently during his literary career, Theodore Dreiser made notes of his daily activities, whether they were of major importance or simply trivial. This volume, containing all seven of his diaries, constitutes a revealing self-portrait as well as a valuable account of the American scene during the first quarter of this century.

American Diaries, 1902-1926

A “mesmerizing” biography of the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of Sophie’s Choice, The Confessions of Nat Turner, and Darkness Visible (Entertainment Weekly). William Styron was one of the most highly regarded and controversial authors of his generation. In this illuminating biography, James L. W. West III draws upon letters, papers, and manuscripts as well as interviews with Styron’s friends and family to recount in rich detail the experiences that shaped each of his groundbreaking books. From Styron’s Southern upbringing, which deeply influenced the Pulitzer Prize–winning The Confessions of Nat Turner and National Book Award–winning Sophie’s Choice, to his feud with Norman Mailer and the clinical depression that led to his acclaimed memoir Darkness Visible, West’s remarkable biography provides invaluable insight into the life and works of a giant of American literature.

A Life

William Styron

An examination of professional authorship in the US during the 20th century. West (English, Pennsylvania State U.) describes the changing professional situation faced by writers of fiction and poetry. He includes discussions of authorship, publishing, book distribution, the trade editor, the literary agent, the magazine market, subsidiary rights, and the blockbuster mentality. He deals with both well-known and lesser-known literary figures, but always with the "public" author, the serious artist intent on reaching a large audience and making a living from writing. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

American Authors and the Literary Marketplace Since 1900

Incorporating information from recently discovered letters and Ginevra King's diary, this biography tells the story of the romance between F. Scott Fitzgerald and his first love, Ginevra King. Photos throughout.

The Romance of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ginevra King, His First Love

The Perfect Hour

Rhoda Sirlin

Sophie's Choice: A Contemporary Casebook is a collection of interpretations and reactions to William Styron's famous 1979 novel of the Holocaust. Sophie's Choice won the American Book Award and sold more than three million copies worldwide, but the novel has remained controversialfor its perceived treatment of women, its mixing of sexual comedy with high tragedy, and its legitimacy as an examination of the Holocaust. The items in the casebook are divided into three sections: Sexual Politics, Anti-Semitism and the Holocaust, and Silence. Contributors include Pearl K. Bell, Gloria Steinem, Carolyn A. Durham, Barbara T. Lupack, Richard L. Rubenstein, Cynthia Ozick, Bertram Wyatt-Brown, and Elie Wiesel. The collection is framed by a foreword and an afterword, both by Styron. This casebook will be useful to teachers, students, and scholars; it brings together important commentaries on Sophie's Choice, focuses discussion on key themes and issues, and argues for the central place of the novel in late twentieth-century literature.

James L. W. West

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