Thomas Wolfe, a renowned American novelist, died on September 15th, 1938, at the age of 37. Wolfe was born in Asheville, North Carolina in 1900 and showed an early aptitude for writing. After receiving his undergraduate degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he attended Harvard and pursued a doctorate in English. Wolfe gained fame in 1929 with his first novel "Look Homeward, Angel". This was followed by "Of Time and the River" in 1935 and was highly acclaimed by critics. Wolfe gained fame for his novels depicting his hometown of Asheville, referred to as "Altamont" in his work, which evoked the experiences, courage and depth of emotion of the people of the time. Wolfe is remembered not only for the vivid portrayals of American life and culture he created in his books but also for his larger than life personality. With his expansive, poetic writing style and personality, Wolfe had a profound influence on post-war literature. Wolfe's untimely death at an age of 37 marks the loss of an important figure in American literature. He will be remembered for his vivid works that shaped a generation's understanding of Appalachia.