William Styron, A Life | National Humanities Center

Work of the Fellows: Biographies

William Styron, A Life

By James L. W. West, III (NHC Fellow, 1981–82)

Authors; American Literature; William Styron

New York: Random House, 1998

From the publisher’s description:

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.

Subjects
History / Literature / Authors / American Literature / William Styron /

West, James L. W., III (NHC Fellow, 1981–82). William Styron, A Life. New York: Random House, 1998.