The Absurd Hero in American Fiction: Updike, Styron, Bellow, Salinger [Paperback]

WhenThe Absurd Hero in American Fictionwas first released in 1966, Granville Hicks praised it in a lead article for theSaturday Reviewas a sensitive and definitive study of a new trend in postwar American literature. In the years that followed, David Galloway’s analysis of the writings of John Updike, William Styron, Saul Bellow, and J. D. Salinger became a standard critical work, an indispensable tool for readers concerned with contemporary American literature. TheNew York Timesdescribed the book as “a seminal study of the modern literary imagination."

David Galloway, himself an established novelist, later extensively revisedThe Absurd Heroto include authoritative discussions of more than a dozen novels which had appeared since the first revised edition was released in 1970. Among them are John Updike’sCouples,Rabbit Redux, andThe Coup; William Styron’sThe Confessions of Nat TurnerandSophie’s Choice; and Saul Bellow’sMr. Sammler’s PlanetandHumboldt’s Gift. Through detailed analyses of these works, Galloway demonstrates the continuing relevance of his own provocative concept of the absurd hero and provides important insights into the literary achievements of four of America’s most influential postwar novelists.

David D. Galloway is the author of many articles on subjects that range from the style of Henry James to modern Japanese sculpture, homosexual pornography, the Black American short story, and horror movies; he has also written several novels. He is Professor Emeritus of American Studies at the Ruhr University in Germany and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

• Preface to the First Edition
• Preface to the Second Revisl3)