The work of William Styron, which includes novels such as SOPHIEíS CHOICE and THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER, has generated both praise and controversy over the past fifty years. Grounded in history and epic in sweep, his fiction has grappled with some of the most harrowing events and unresolved moral questions of our time.

William Styron was born on June 11, 1925 in Newport News, Virginia. His father was a shipyard engineer who suffered from depression and his mother passed away when he was only thirteen. A rebellious child, Styron was sent to a boysí preparatory school soon after his motherís death. Moving from school to school, he eventually ended up at Duke University, where he received his Bachelor of Arts. The next year he enlisted in the Marine Corps, where he became a first lieutenant during World War II .

After leaving the service, he moved to New York. At the age of twenty-six with LIE DOWN IN DARKNESS (1951) he launched his career and earned him the American Academyís Prix de Rome.  In SOPHIEíS CHOICE, Styron weaves a fictional tale, profound in its engagement, with major recent historical events. Made into a popular movie starring Meryl Streep. His next great work, however, was not until his 1990 book, DARKNESS VISIBLE: A MEMOIR OF MADNESS. 

Winning the National Medal of Arts and the Common Wealth Award, Styron has secured his place in the history of literature. His thought-provoking work will long remain important to readers interested in the serious workings of the mind and heart of contemporary society.

For more about William Styron visit these websites:

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/styron_w.html
http://www.mindspring.com/~fillius/styron.htm