Literary Figures: Novelists

Writer Tom Wolfe, known for his "New Journalism" in the 60s and 70s. His books from that period included The Electric Kool Aid Acid Test, Radical Chic and Mau Mauing the Flak Catchers and The Right Stuff. His new book, his first novel, is titled The Bonfire of the Vanities.

Crime writer Patricia Highsmith. Her first novel, Strangers on a Train, was later made into a movie by Alfred Hitchcock. Her new novel, her 19th, is titled Found in the Street.

Novelist and screenwriter William Goldman. His 1973 novel, The Princess Bride, was just made into a movie by director Rob Reiner. The movie is based on a screenplay Goldman wrote shortly after completing the novel. Goldman also wrote the screenplays for "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" and "All The President's Men."

Ed McBain (also known as Evan Hunter), prolific writer of detective fiction, best known for his "87th Precinct" series of police procedurals and mystery novels. His most recent novel is titled Tricks. McBain writes in other genres under different pseudonyms.

Ted Solotaroff, senior editor at the book publisher Harper and Row. He has worked with many of the great writers of our time and written widely on the current state of writing and publishing.

Richard Ford, who wrote the critically acclaimed novel The Sportswriter.

English writer Ian McEwan, whose new novel is called The Child in Time. It's about the loss of a child and the child that endures through adulthood.

Issac Asimov [a.k.a. Paul French], the dean of science fiction writers. Asmiov is arguably one of the most widely published authors ever.

Canadian writer Mordecai Richler, author of The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz and Joshua Then and Now, both of which were adapted into films.

Crime writer Elmore Leonard. His new novel is titled Touch and follows two successful novels, Glitz and Bandits.