Citizen Tom Paine

Author Bio: Howard Fast

Howard Fast (1914–2003) was one of the most prolific American writers of the twentieth century. He was a bestselling author of more than eighty works of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and screenplays. The son of immigrants, he grew up in New York City and published his first novel upon finishing high school in 1933. In 1950, his refusal to provide the United States Congress with a list of possible Communist associates earned him a three-month prison sentence. During his incarceration, he wrote one of his best-known novels, Spartacus. Throughout his long career, he matched his commitment to championing social justice in his writing with a deft, lively storytelling style.