American Literature: Biographies

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. The Oxford Companion to American Literature Further reading

Ross Macdonald

The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. | 2011 | Copyright

Ross Macdonald pseud. of Kenneth Millar, 1915–83, American novelist, b. Los Gatos, Calif. He was educated in Canada and at the Univ. of Michigan. Macdonald's mystery novels center on the tough but compassionate private detective, Lew Archer. They often deal with the effect of the past on present behavior, the crimes parents commit against their children, and the nature of evil. His novels include The Galton Case (1959), The Zebra-Striped Hearse (1962), The Chill (1964), The Good-bye Look (1969), and The Lonely Silver Rain (1985).

Bibliography: See biographies by M. J. Bruccoli (1984) and T. Nolan (1998).

His wife, Margaret Millar, 1915–94, b. Kitchener, Ont., Canada, was a mystery writer. Her works include The Invisible Worm (1941), The Murder of Miranda (1979), and Banshee (1983).

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MacDonald, Ross

The Oxford Companion to American Literature | 1995 | | Copyright

MacDonald, Ross, pseudonym of Kenneth Millar (1915–83), California‐born novelist, reared in Canada. After graduation from the University of Western Ontario, naval service, and a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, he published under his own name The Dark Tunnel (1944), a spy story set in Hitler's Germany. It was the beginning of a prolific career, best known for his hard‐boiled detective novels set in southern California, featuring the private investigator Lew Archer and having as background generational differences in families. These works include The Galton Case (1959), The Goodbye Look (1964), The Far Side of the Dollar (1965), and The Underground Man (1971). Self‐Portrait (1982) collects essays on ideas and experiences.

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James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "MacDonald, Ross." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. 1 Jun. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>.

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "MacDonald, Ross." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Encyclopedia.com. (June 1, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-MacDonaldRoss.html

James D. Hart and and Phillip W. Leininger. "MacDonald, Ross." The Oxford Companion to American Literature. 1995. Retrieved June 01, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O123-MacDonaldRoss.html

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