Though none of his works has fallen out of print, Walker Percy (1916–1990) has suffered from the decline in prominence that has afflicted many Southern literary figures. His close contemporary Flannery O’Connor, with her somewhat edgier writings and her own tragic personal history, has attracted recent attention in both print and film, but Percy has for the most part been neglected. This makes the Library of America’s beautiful compilation of his first three novels—The Moviegoer (1961), The Last Gentleman (1966), and Love in the Ruins (1971)—extremely welcome. These stories of confused seekers are handsomely presented and edited by the Georgetown University literary critic and religious scholar Paul Elie. They offer an acute diagnosis of the spiritual ailments that Americans seem unable to escape, despite all the advantages of prosperity.

Percy’s own life story contains enough tragedy and drama to fill several novels. His father committed suicide when he was 12. His mother died in a car accident—also possibly a suicide—before he turned 16. Percy and his younger brothers were adopted by his father’s cousin, Will, whose home was frequented by writers and thinkers from across the nation. But Percy himself did not immediately embark on a career in letters. Will encouraged him and his brothers to choose among the military, law, or