As any student of literature knows, the books that last are often not the books that are most popular when they are written. Both 'Moby Dick' and 'The Great Gatsby' were complete failures, critically and commercially, when they first appeared.

Early life and education
Cunningham was born in Cincinnati Ohio and grew up in Pasadena California. He studied English literature at Stanford University where he earned his degree. His short story "White Angel" was later used as a chapter in his novel A Home at the End of the World.

Cunningham is currently a professor of creative writing at Yale University. Michael Cunningham (born November 6 1952) is an American writer.