A comprehensive survey of the biographical narratives of Robert Penn Warren. It traces a clear development towards autobiography in Warren's career and applies narratives theory to that trend to discover that Warren's discourse techniques dramatize his philosophy of history and ethics.

All the King's Men is generally considered one of the finest novels ever written on American politics. By focusing on what Warren's novel has to say about power, populism, ethics, and the force of rhetoric, this volume encourages readers to think about their own identities and responsibilities as American citizens.