John Cheever: A Biography

"A biography of great immediacy.... There are many sections of great poignancy, many funny things, many of electric intimacy and candor... there is spellbinding power, never more so than in describing Cheever's death, pages that are both terrible and deeply moving; one is losing an old, beloved friend." —James Salter, Los Angeles Times Book Review " John Cheever: A Biography is clearly an indispensable book. Donaldson moves gracefully from the personal to the literary.... Solidly researched and entirely readable, admiring of the writer and knowing about the man. Stuffed with fascinating anecdotes. It's a gut-wrenching story. Donaldson tells it straight, without embellishment, and our attention never strays." —Dan Cryer, Newsday "A coup of investigative reporting." — Publishers Weekly "Both erudite and earthly. What emerges is a rich tapestry that gives the reader extraordinary insight into the workings of a master storyteller's mind." —Jean Graham, New York Daily News " John Cheever: A Biography by Scott Donaldson is as readable and 'unputdownable' as any thriller." —T. Coraghessan Boyle "A revelation. What a triumph." —Frederick Exley "Donaldson has set a high standard that other biographers will find difficult to equal." —John Blades, Chicago Tribune