Arthur Miller

Thisisthelong-awaitedbiographyofoneofthetwentiethcentury'sgreatestplaywrightswhosepostwardecadeofworkearnedhiminternationalcriticalandpopularacclaim.ArthurMillerwasaprominentfigureinAmericanliteratureandcinemaforoversixtyyears,writingawidevarietyofplays-includingTheCrucible,AViewfromtheBridge,AllMySons,andDeathofaSalesman-whicharestillperformed,studiedandlaudedthroughouttheworld.Bornin1915tomoderatelyaffluentJewish-Americanparents,MillerwroteduringafascinatingtimeinAmericanhistory.TheGreatDepressionwasaperiodofdeprivationformanythatleftanindeliblemarkonthenationalpsyche,and,likemany,MillerfoundhopeforthebeleagueredcommonmaninCommunism.TheSecondWorldWarelevatedthecommonmantowarhero,butwhentheColdWarsubsequentlybegan,theuglyelementsofAmericanconservatismfreelypersecutedwritersandartistswhohadembracedCommunism.Millerwasamongthem.HisrefusaltogiveevidenceagainstotherstothenotoriousHouseUn-AmericanActivitiesCommitteein1956gavehimaheroicroletoplay.Inthatsameyear,ArthurMillermomentouslymarriedtheyoungactressMarilynMonroe,amarriagethatremainsfamoustothisday.ChristopherBigsby'sgripping,meticulouslyresearchedbiography,basedonboxesofpapersmadeavailabletohimbeforeMiller'sdeath,offersnewinsightsintotheirmarriage,andshedsnewlightonhowtheirrelationshipinformedMiller'ssubsequentgreatplays.Afterhisdeathin2005,manyrespectedactors,directorsandproducerspaidtributetoMiller,callinghim'thelastgreatpractitioneroftheAmericanstage'.ChristopherBigsby'ssupremelyauthoritativebiographydoesfulljusticetoMiller'slifeandart.