This valuable reference work provides an overview of Wolfe's life and works in a readily accessible format. A biographical sketch of the writer's life is followed by short essays on his works. These focus on structure, themes, symbols, attitudes, and ideas, as well as special problems occasioned by decisions and practices of Wolfe's editors. Additional features of the book include a descriptive and analytic bibliography, including publishing history, editions, controversy, and critical analysis for the various entries, as well as a discussion of Wolfe scholars and scholarship. A helpful, quick-reference glossary of characters and places in Wolfe's works is included, as well as a series of useful geneological charts of fictional characters and corresponding real-life family members. Comprehensive appendices of information sources and secondary works complete the text.