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There is a legend circulating in American literary circles: ? Stephen King finished reading his book and stopped working for three days in despair. Marquez closed his manuscript and remained silent for a long time. Spielberg waved a blank check to grab his rights. Kubrick told the outside world: "No one else is allowed to touch this man's novels. Wait for me." The front page of the New York Times commented: If Hemingway were still alive, he would have a drink with him and then have a fight. President Clinton's public speech: "I made Congress wait for me for twenty minutes to read his book." ? From thrillers and suspense to magical reality, from sweeping Hollywood to crushing the arrogance of academics. From the Pulitzer Prize to the National Book Award, he is America's undisputed cultural tyrant. When the call rang from Stockholm- "Mr. Lynn, congratulations." ? He put down the phone and thought of that bitterly cold afternoon in New York in 1974. With only a few cents in my pocket, I stood next to a taxi with a broken meter, shaking all over.