Bellow was no less of a character than the men he drew. A dapper dresser who favored bold ties, an erudite dinner guest, and an inveterate womanizer, he went through four wives and many mistresses before belatedly finding true happiness with his fifth wife, Janis Freedman, whom he married in 1989. Ten years later, Bellow fathered his fourth child, Naomi Rose, at age 84 — and published a novella. He explained his unflagging drive with a joke about an opera singer who, hearing repeated cries of ''Encore!'' asks, '''How many times must I sing this aria?'' To which someone responds, ''Until you get it right.''

''That's how it is with me,'' Bellow often said. ''I always feel I haven't gotten it quite right, and so I go on singing.''

Originally posted Apr 11, 2005 Published in issue #815 Apr 15, 2005 Order article reprints
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