Looking for Steinbeck's Ghost (Western Literature Series) - Softcover

"As a supplement to the biography itself, or simply read for its own sake, Benson's account which entertainingly interweaves personal anecdote and critical insight, is a lively revelation of what can happen when a genial academic decides to devote a large chunk or his life to that of another man.... An unusual but rewarding reading experience." - Choice

In 1968, Jackson J. Benson, then a naive young literature professor, set out to write a critical appraisal of John Steinbeck. He found his project turning into an authorized biography: this is an account of his experiences over the 15 years he devoted to writing it. On one level it is a collection of anecdotes, character sketches and memories of Steinbeck. Benson interviewed scores of people who knew Steinbeck at various times in his life, and read thousands of primary sources. On another level it is an account of the biographers task, with allist triumphs and frustrations. We follow Benson as he struggles to master the skills of the biographer: locating sources of information; learning to conduct interviews - and assess their validity; and sifting through all the contradictions and prejudices.