A Man Who Rescued Faulkner
16 days ago
- #American Literature
- #Literary Criticism
- #Lost Generation
- Malcolm Cowley was a prominent literary critic and editor who played a key role in shaping American literature.
- He helped launch the careers of writers like John Cheever, Alfred Kazin, Jack Kerouac, and Ken Kesey.
- Cowley was instrumental in reviving William Faulkner's career, leading to Faulkner's Nobel Prize in Literature.
- He sought to elevate American literature as a distinct tradition, separate from British literature.
- Cowley's work, including 'Exile’s Return,' explored the experiences of the Lost Generation and American expatriates in Paris.
- Despite his political missteps, Cowley's literary contributions remained significant, especially his analysis of postwar American culture.
- He championed the idea of the Great American Novel, citing 'Moby-Dick' as a key example.
- Cowley's career spanned various roles, from editor to critic, always with a focus on understanding American identity through literature.