Edmund White is a master stylist who has produced acclaimed novels, intrepid and insightful nonfiction on gay society, and semi- autobiographical novels that combine the best features of fiction and nonfiction. Known as a "gay writer," White also belongs among those writers whose literary reputations transcend simplistic labels. William Goldstein explains in Publishers Weekly, "To call Edmund White merely a gay writer is to oversimplify his work and his intentions. Although that two-word label ... aptly sums up White's status, the first word no doubt helps obscure the fact that the second applies just as fittingly." White's fiction in particular has garnered critical acclaim; the author has received grants from the Ingram Merrill Foundation, the Guggenheim Foundation, and the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. His semi- autobiographical novels have also won the appreciation of many young adult readers. The Beautiful Room Is Empty was chosen by...