Moral Agents: Eight Twentieth-Century American Writers

Fusing biography and literary criticism, this work presents in-depth portraits of eight influential American writers from the twentieth century, including Saul Bellow and Norman Mailer. Each figure is examined through their complex relationships with the concept of the good life, revealing how their personal experiences shaped their literary contributions. The book explores themes of ambition, identity, and the interplay of personal and artistic lives, offering fresh insights into the transformative impact these writers had on American literature and culture.