Richard Yates

(1926 - 1992)

Richard Yates’ novel Revolutionary Road and Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 were nominated for the 1962 National Book Award, both losing to Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer. The next year William Styron recommended Yates for a speechwriting job for Robert Kennedy. “I don’t know if I even like the fucking Kennedys,” he replied, and took the job. Sam Mendes directed a film version of Revolutionary Road in 2008.