Harold Bloom (July 11, 1930 – Oct 14, 2019) was an American literary critic and the Sterling Professor of Humanities at Yale University. He is often cited as the most influential English-language critic of the late 20th century. Following the publication of his first book Shelley's Mythmaking in 1959, Bloom wrote more than 50 books, including 20 books of literary criticism, several books discussing religion, and a novel. During his lifetime, he edited hundreds of anthologies concerning numerous literary and philosophical figures for the Chelsea House publishing firm. Bloom's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. His novel, The Flight to Lucifer, was Bloom's only work of fiction. Less