Gay Talese joined the staff of The New York Times in 1955, and remained there for a decade. During the 1960s and 1970s he contributed many articles to magazines, principally Esquire. He is the author of seven previous books, and has been at work on UNTO THE SONS since the spring of 1981, when he travelled to Italy to begin his research. He was born in Ocean City, New Jersey, in 1932, and now lives in New York City and Ocean City with his wife and their daughters.

Gay Talese joined the staff of The New York Times in 1955, and remained there for a decade. During the 1960s and 1970s he contributed many articles to magazines, principally Esquire. He is the author of seven previous books, and has been at work on UNTO THE SONS since the spring of 1981, when he travelled to Italy to begin his research. He was born in Ocean City, New Jersey, in 1932, and now lives in New York City and Ocean City with his wife and their daughters.