John Knowles Summary

Biography EssayJohn Knowles, the third of four children of James Myron and Mary Beatrice Shea Knowles, was born in Fairmont, West Virginia. He has an older brother and sister who are twins, and a youn... Read more

Critical Essay by Jonathan Yardley Up to now John Knowles has been something of a miniaturist, his novels and stories set in close quarters: the boarding school of "A Separate Peace," t... Read more

Critical Essay by Robert H. Donahugh Youth is dominant in five of the six stories comprising this distinguished collection [Phineas and Other Stories]. The title story and "A Turn With the Sun... Read more

Critical Essay by Peter Wolfe John Knowles's concern with morality colors all his books. This preoccupation finds its most general expression in a question asked in Double Vision …, an ... Read more

Critical Essay by The Booklist [In The Paragon Knowles] again shows empathy with young people. With considerable freewheeling humor and light irony he depicts the Yale University scene and Louis Colf... Read more

Critical Essay by Christopher Lehmann-haupt Did you admire John Knowles's first novel, "A Separate Peace"? After floundering somewhat in his three subsequent novels ("Morn... Read more

Critical Essay by Diane J. Swanbrow Coal mining has yielded literary riches for several generations, and John Knowles strikes yet another solid vein in this tale of his native West Virginia [A Vein o... Read more