From School Library Journal
Grade 5-8 - These books introduce important authors, explaining how their works reflected their experiences and the eras in which they lived. Each one opens with a defining episode from the author's life, such as Steinbeck's travels with migrant workers or Fitzgerald's broken engagement, which changed his outlook and inspired his best work. The authors then go back and trace each man's life, emphasizing how his experiences shaped his writing and how his work in turn both defined periods of American history and influenced American attitudes and behaviors. The books also discuss each writer's legacy and contributions to literature. A single-page "FYInfo" at the end of each chapter provides background information about historical events, popular culture, and economics that are mentioned in or related to events that are discussed. The authors are all objective about their subjects, discussing how their often chaotic or troubled personal lives affected their work. Colorized and black-and-white period photos are included. While these titles provide more information and analysis than titles such as S. Ward's Meet E. B. White (Rosen, 2001), in the "About the Author" series, they are not as complete as many single-title biographies such as Janice Tingum's E. B. White (Gale, 1997). However, they offer more biographical detail than the literary profiles in Writers for Young Adults (Scribner's 1905), edited by Ted Hipple, making them good choices for reluctant readers doing brief reports. - Mary Mueller, Rolla Junior High School, MO Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.


Book Description
F. Scott Fitzgerald defined the 1920s, calling it the "Jazz Age." His work reflected both the excitement of the decade and the misery of the Great Depression that followed. He is indeed a Classic Storyteller, but like many artists he suffered for his work. Scott’s writing came from dealing with the pain he experienced in his life. Hiding this pain from the outside world and "keeping up appearances" are themes echoed in his work. Although many of the characters Scott wrote about seemed well off, they usually worried about money. While many authors create sympathy for characters who are poor, Scott could get readers rooting for characters who were rich. His novels such as The Great Gatsby are still read and enjoyed not just as reflections of the times in which he lived, but as reflections of his life as well.


About the Author
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, John Bankston has written over three dozen biographies for young adults profiling scientists like Jonas Salk and Alexander Fleming, celebrities like Mandy Moore and Alicia Keys, great achievers like Alfred Nobel, and master musicians like Mozart. He worked in Los Angeles, California as a producer, screenwriter and actor. Currrently he is in preproduction on Dancing at the Edge, a semi-autobiographical film he hopes to film in Portland, Oregon. Last year he completed his first young adult novel, 18 to Look Younger.