William Saroyan (1908–1981) Five Ripe Pears LINKS Time Of Our Lives, May 26, 1997: Richard Rodriguez on the Writing of William Saroyan http://www.pbs.org/newshour/essays/rodriguez_5-26.html From the Online NewsHour, this site offers personal reflections on Saroyan's writing by another author, Richard Rodriguez. Willaim Saroyan http://www.pathfinder.com/photo/week/0831.htm This site is a Time-Life Photo of the Week, and it offers a phot of the author from 1941, some commentary on his career, and a link to a related story. BIOGRAPHY William Saroyan (1908–1981)  Born and raised in Fresno, California, to Armenian immigrant parents, Saroyan's first success as a writer came with the publication in 1934 of his story "The Daring Young Man on the Flying Trapeze." He went on to become a prolific writer of fiction and plays, notable for their optimism and romantic celebrations of ordinary people pursuing the American dream. Among his best-known novels are My Name is Aram (1940) and The Human Comedy (1943), both dealing with children growing up in the San Joaquin Valley in California. His many plays include My Heart's in the Highlands and The Time of Your Life (both 1939). Saroyan refused the Pulitzer Prize for the latter play on the grounds that wealthy business people were incapable of judging art. His autobiographical works include The Bicycle Rider in Beverly Hills (1952), Places Where I've Done Time (1972), and Obituaries (1979). Five days before he died, he said to the Associated Press, "Everybody has got to die, but I have always believed an exception would be made in my case. Now what?"