John Cheever

“A biography of great immediacy. . . . There are many sections of great poignancy, many funny things, many of electric intimacy and candor . . . there is spellbinding power, never more so than in describing Cheever’s death, pages that are both terrible and deeply moving; one is losing an old, beloved friend.” —James Salter, Los Angeles Times Book Review   “John Cheever: A Biography is clearly an indispensable book. Donaldson moves gracefully from the personal to the literary. . . . Solidly researched and entirely readable, admiring of the writer and knowing about the man. Stuffed with fascinating anecdotes. It’s a gut-wrenching story. Donaldson tells it straight, without embellishment, and our attention never strays.” —Dan Cryer, Newsday   “A coup of investigative reporting.” —Publishers Weekly   “Both erudite and earthly. What emerges is a rich tapestry that gives the reader extraordinary insight into the workings of a master storyteller’s mind.” —Jean Graham, New York Daily News   “John Cheever: A Biography by Scott Donaldson is as readable and ‘unputdownable’ as any thriller.” —T. Coraghessan Boyle   “A revelation. What a triumph.” —Frederick Exley   “Donaldson has set a high standard that other biographers will find difficult to equal.” —John Blades, Chicago Tribune