Patricia Highsmith

“The Man Who Wrote Books in His Head” is a short story by Patricia Highsmith, published in 1979, which narrates the peculiar life of E. Taylor Cheever, an aspiring writer who, after the failure of his first novel, decides to devote himself to writing only in his mind. Throughout his life, Cheever created a vast body of literary work but never managed to put it down on paper. The story reflects his growing isolation and the repercussions this decision had on his family, especially on his son Everett, who oscillates between frustration and admiration for his father. With subtle irony, Highsmith weaves a moving tale about the power and fragility of the imagination.