American literary giant: 1974

A legend circulates in American literary circles: Stephen King, after reading his book, was so desperate that he stopped working for three days. Gabriel García Márquez closed his manuscript and remained silent for a long time. Steven Spielberg brandished blank checks to snatch his copyright. Kubrick declared, "No one is allowed to touch this man's novels, wait for me." The New York Times front-page commentary stated: If Hemingway were alive, he would have a drink with him and then a fight. President Clinton publicly stated, "I made Congress wait twenty minutes to finish reading his book." --- From thrillers and suspense to magical realism, from sweeping Hollywood to crushing the arrogance of the academic establishment. From the Pulitzer Prize to the National Book Award, he is America's undisputed cultural tyrant. --- When the phone rang from Stockholm—"Mr. Lynn, congratulations." He hung up the phone, remembering that bitterly cold afternoon in New York in 1974. With only a few cents left in his pocket, he stood shivering beside a taxi with a broken meter.