William Saroyan

Saroyan, William (1908–81), U.S. author known for combining patriotism with emotional idealism. Among his many works are The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze (1934), a collection of short stories; the novel The Human Comedy (1943); and the play The Time of Your Life (1939). He won the Pulitzer Prize for the latter but turned it down because he disapproved of literary awards.