For those of you who are interested in Ray's early family life, there is a detailed account of that in Marvin Mengeling's Red Planet, Flaming Phoenix (Bloomington, IN: First Books Library, 2002). It relates Ray's position in his family - he replaced a dead older brother who was a twin - to his fiction about doubles. Interesting thesis, but not developed in the whole context of Ray's career. An interesting attempt at psychobiography by a retired English Professor (Michigan, I think)

Bill Touponce

[This message has been edited by wtouponc (edited 07-06-2004).]

This is a book about Ray that I had never even heard of before. Thanks, Mr. Touponce. I just ordered a copy!

Richard:

I first read it in the mid-1980's when I was asked to read it for Kent State (publishers of The Life of Fiction). Apparently it was an attempt to write - at least in part - a literary biography of Ray and is based on some original research into Ray's background (interviews). Now it has shown up in a self-publishing program at Bloomington. Mengeling has published on Ray before (he's mentioned in our bibliography), including an early essay in The English Journal. I mention it here because many of you probably have not heard of it and it is worth reading (I think).

Bill