Saroyan, William (1908–1981)

US author. He wrote short stories, such as The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (1934), idealizing the hopes and sentiments of the ‘little man’. His plays, preaching a gospel of euphoric enjoyment, include The Time of Your Life (Pulitzer Prize; refused) (1939), about eccentricity; My Heart's in the Highlands (1939), about an uplifting bugle-player; Love's Old Sweet Song (1941), and Talking to You (1962).

Born in Fresno, California, Saroyan also wrote The Human Comedy 1942 and One Day in the Afternoon of the World 1964, both novels, and the novella Boys and Girls Together 1963. Other plays include The Beautiful People 1941. He also wrote autobiographical works, including The Bicycle Rider in Beverly Hills 1952 and Here Comes, There Goes, You Know Who 1961.