The Rise of Silas Lapham

William Dean Howells was a prominent American realist author and literary critic, known for his significant contributions to literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1904, he became one of the founding members of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, eventually serving as its president. His work reflects a deep engagement with the social and cultural issues of his time, establishing him as a key figure in American literary history.