Don delillo influenced by

1. Early Life and Education
2. Career Trajectory
3. Literary Debut and Critical Acclaim
4. Later Work and Legacy

Early Life and Education

Don DeLillo was born in the Bronx, New York City, to Italian immigrants from Montagnagno. He pursued his undergraduate studies at Fordham University, where he earned a Bachelor's degree in 1958. DeLillo Americanized the Italian spelling of his surname, "De Lillo," to "DeLillo."

Despite his Italian heritage, DeLillo's prose lacks distinct Italian cultural elements. Unlike other Italian-American authors, such as Mario Puzo and John Fante, he did not focus on his Italian roots, although some Italian influences appear in his novel "Underworld."

Career Trajectory

DeLillo initially lacked interest in writing until he worked a summer job as a parking lot attendant, where he developed a reading habit. Unable to secure a position in publishing after graduating, DeLillo took a job in advertising. He worked as a copywriter for five years at Ogilvy & Mather on 5th Avenue. Recalling the impetus for his writing career, DeLillo remarked, "I'd written a couple of short stories, but that wasn't what made me quit the job. I just didn't want to work anymore."

Literary Debut and Critical Acclaim

DeLillo's debut novel, "Americana," published in 1971, received modest critical acclaim. In 1975, he married Barbara Bennett, a former banker turned landscape designer. He spent several years living in Greece in the late 1970s, where he wrote his novel "The Names."

Despite critical praise for his novels, DeLillo did not receive widespread public recognition until the publication of "White Noise," which won the National Book Award in 1985. His greatest commercial success came with the publication of his magnum opus, "Underworld." In 2006, The New York Times named "Underworld" one of the best American novels written in the past 25 years. The list also included his novels "Libra" and "White Noise."

Later Work and Legacy

DeLillo's most recent novel, "Falling Man," tells the story of a survivor of the September 11th attacks and was published in the United States on May 15, 2007.

Throughout his body of work, DeLillo deconstructed American history and the American way of life. He has received numerous national and international awards, including the Jerusalem Prize in 1999.