Elias Canetti, winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Literature, was one of the major intellectual figures and polymaths of the twentieth century. A master of many genres, he is known especially for his novel, Auto da Fe, and his great work of social theory, Crowds and Power. But Canettis genius is perhaps nowhere more evident than in the three volumes of his autobiography. This first volume, Tongue Set Free, provides a searching portrait of the authors personal background and creative development as it presents the events, personalities (especially Canettis mother), and intellectual forces that shaped the growth of the artist as a young man. Winner of the 1981 Nobel Prize, this first volume of the authors autobiography provides a searching portrait of his personal background and creative development.About author(s):Elias Canetti was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1981. His writings include a monumental work of social theory, Crowds and Power, and three volumes of memoirs, The Tongue Set Free, The Torch in My Ear, and The Play of the Eyes.