Legs Study Guide

William Kennedy Biography: William Kennedy, born on January 16, 1928, in Albany, New York, is a distinguished American novelist, screenwriter, and journalist. He is best known for his "Albany Cycle" of novels, which vividly capture the social, political, and cultural life of his hometown. Kennedy's work often explores themes of ambition, corruption, and the American Dream. He began his career as a journalist, working for newspapers like the Albany Times Union and Miami Herald. His breakthrough came with the publication of "Ironweed" in 1983, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Kennedy's literary contributions have earned him numerous accolades, including the National Book Critics Circle Award, and he has been a prominent figure in American letters for decades.

Historical and Literary Context for "Legs": Published in 1975, "Legs" is the first novel in William Kennedy's "Albany Cycle." It is a fictionalized account of the life of the infamous Prohibition-era gangster Jack "Legs" Diamond. The novel is set in the 1920s and early 1930s, a period marked by significant social and political upheaval in the United States. The era of Prohibition, from 1920 to 1933, saw the rise of organized crime as illegal enterprises flourished in response to the nationwide ban on alcohol.

Literarily, "Legs" fits into the genre of historical fiction and crime literature, drawing heavily on real historical figures and events while weaving a narrative that explores broader themes such as power, loyalty, and the corrupting influence of the American Dream. Kennedy's portrayal of Diamond is both sympathetic and critical, providing a nuanced depiction of a man whose life was marked by both flamboyant charm and violent criminality. The novel is notable for its rich, evocative prose and its deep sense of place, with Albany serving as a character in its own right, reflecting the broader social and economic currents of the time.

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