Gay Talese is an American writer and journalist who has written extensively on American culture and society in the 20th century. He is best known for his 1966 book, 'The Kingdom and the Power, ' which was a groundbreaking work of literary journalism. He has also written several other books, including 'Honor Thy Father' and 'Unto the Sons.' Talese is considered one of the pioneers of New Journalism, a style of writing that combines traditional reporting with personal narrative.