Sloan Wilson was born on May 8, 1920, in Norwalk, Connecticut. Raised in a relatively affluent family, Wilson attended Harvard University, graduating in 1942. His service in the Coast Guard during World War II exposed him to diverse experiences and perspectives, which would later inform his novels. Wilson's post-war career in advertising and public relations also provided firsthand insight into the corporate world he would so vividly critique in his writing. Wilson's most famous work, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, captures the post-war anxiety and the struggle for identity within the burgeoning corporate culture of 1950s America. Wilson critiques the notion that material success and social status are the ultimate measures of a person's worth, highlighting the emotional and psychological costs of this pursuit.

Wilson's depiction of post-war suburbia further emphasizes the sense of entrapment and disillusionment felt by many Americans during this period. The move to the suburbs, meant to signify success and stability, often led to feelings of isolation and dissatisfaction. Through Rath's experiences, Wilson questions The Illusory Nature of the American Dream and whether it genuinely leads to happiness and fulfillment.

Wilson’s later novels explored similar themes. In A Summer Place, Wilson shifts focus from the corporate world to the complexities of personal relationships and social expectations.