Highly regarded by the few who read his work when it was first published in the 1960s and 70s, Richard Yates maintained a small but utterly devoted readership. Now, finally, Yates has reached a much wider audience. Brought to public attention by Blake Bailey's influential biography in 2003 and then, in 2008, catapulted onto the New York bestseller list via the film version of his first novel, his books are not only in print but also selling steadily. While many of his contemporaries went on to achieve both status and renown in the literary world of the mid-twentieth century, Yates battled to stay solvent and healthy and to follow-up the relative success of his first novel
Revolutionary Road. He was a demanding man who inspired great devotion from those who knew him well but, with two…
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Citation: Charlton-Jones, Kate. "Richard Yates". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 April 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=11959, accessed 23 November 2024.]
