Edgar Lee Masters: A Biography

This is the first book-length biography of the author of the celebrated Spoon River Anthology . Masters was a partner in a law firm when, at age 46, his dream of literary success suddenly came true. This biography conveys the internal contradictions that drove Masters throughout his life, looking at his writing, his law career, his marriages and numerous affairs, and his inability to distinguish between trash and treasure in his own work. Russell is the first scholar to be allowed to read and quote from all of Masters' diaries, letters, and the unpublished chapters of his 1936 autobiography. Includes b&w photos. Russell is director for college relations at John A. Logan College. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)