Wylie, Philip Gordon (1902-1971), was an American novelist and a critic of contemporary life. His Generation of Vipers (1942) used the term momism to describe the society in which males are dominated emotionally by their mothers. This book asserts that our culture loses force and maturity because of our failure to grow up. An Essay on Morals (1947) is another analysis of the American scene. His novels include The Corpses at Indian Stones (1943), Tomorrow (1953), and Triumph (1963).
Wylie was born on May 12, 1902, in Beverly, Massachusetts. He attended Princeton University, and later became a member of the staff of The New Yorker magazine. Wylie also wrote for motion pictures. He died on Oct. 25, 1971.
