Steven Pressfield

Steven Pressfield is an American author, predominatedly of military historical fiction set in classical antiquity. His novels include:

• Last of the Amazons
• Tides of War: A Novel of Alcibiades and the Peloponnesian War
• Gates of Fire, about the Battle of Thermopylae
• The Virtues of War, about the life of Alexander the Great (2004)
• The Legend of Bagger Vance, about a golf-pro making a comeback

He also wrote the nonfiction book The War of Art.

His novel The Legend of Bagger Vance was made into a 2000 film starring Matt Damon as the golf-pro and Will Smith as his supportive caddy.

His historical fiction is well-researched. For the sake of dramatic flow, Pressfield may alter small details such as the sequence of events or make use of contemporary terms and name places. However, one of his stated aims is to capture the spirit of the times.

To enhance his readers' immersion in ancient times, Pressfield typically writes his novels from the point of view of the characters involved. For instance, The Virtues of War is told from the perspective of Alexander the Great.