Amor Towles

Amor Towles, who was born in Massachusetts but raised in the Midwest, is a successful and highly acclaimed American writer. He is best known for his historical fiction novels such as A Gentleman in Moscow, Rules of Civility, and The Last Romeo. His works often center on the themes of modernity and the cultural routes behind aristocratic and oligarchic society. Towles has been praised for his vivid depiction of lavish lifestyle and grandeur of the twentieth-century European eras during the Russian Revolution and World War II.

Towles studied at Yale University with a degree in English Literature and began his career as an investment banker in New York City. He swapped corporate banking for creative writing only later in life when he decided to pursue his dream and began writing his first novel in 2002.

His debut book The Rules of Civility published in 2011, follows an ordinary woman living an extraordinary life. After a chance encounter with an older gentleman on New Year’s Eve of 1937, the protagonist Katya moves to New York and attains an exhilarating new position of privilege in Manhattan elite society. As his second book and instant hit, A Gentleman in Moscow, was released in 2016 and tells the story of Count Alexander Rostov, who is sentenced to house arrest in the Metropol hotel for the remainder of his life, but as his life in confinement evolves, he nourishes and lives by the vibrant life of the hotel and its guests.

This book achieved monumental success and was a New York Times bestseller for more than two years, delightedly mentioned on the list of top ten books in 22 countries around the world. Towles attracted great attention due to the luxurious and delightful setting, as well as the brilliant character development which exemplifies the themes of friendship, love, and individuality.

Towles third novel The Last Romeo, released in 2020, is a passionate love story that follows the romantic misadventures of protagonist Julius Avwood. Julius, a Gatsby-esque character, lives glamorously in Manhattan and is devoted to the pursuit of 'true love' which leads him, to the many misadventures and experiences around the world and various US cities. In the course of browsing a Los Angeles bookstore, he unexpectedly meets the mother of his lost flame and the two embark on a journey that changes both their lives.

Towles has gained recognition for his lively and detailed storytelling and has received multiple awards for his modern fiction. His writing style has become very popular. His vivid novels often capture delicate emotions, be it humor, loss, or love, and his attention to detail and culture make stories that stay with readers. With such great insight into both the contemporary and classical lifestyle, Amor Towles is undoubtedly one of the most beloved authors of our time.