The Rascal and the Road

by Robert Crichton

A behind-the-scenes account of the writing of The Great Imposter.

Genres: Biography

213 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1961

About the author

Robert Crichton was an American novelist known for both nonfiction and fiction. The son of writer and editor Kyle Crichton, he served in the infantry during World War II, was wounded at the Battle of the Bulge, and managed an ice cream factory in Paris before attending Harvard University on the GI Bill. His first book, The Great Impostor (1959), the true story of Fred Demara, was a bestseller and adapted into a 1961 film. He followed it with The Rascal and the Road, a memoir of his adventures with Demara. Crichton’s first novel, The Secret of Santa Vittoria (1966), about an Italian town resisting the Nazis, became an international bestseller and was adapted into a Golden Globe-winning film. His second novel, The Camerons (1972), drew on his Scottish great-grandparents’ lives and was also a bestseller. He published essays and magazine articles, including the notable essay "Our Air War." Crichton was married to documentary producer Judy Crichton and had four children.

Reviews

[Rich Perry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to learn more about The Great Imposter