Robert Cormier

Infobox Writer
name = Robert Edmund Cormier


birthdate = birth date|1925|1|17
birthplace = Leominster, Massachusetts, United States
deathdate = death date and age|2000|11|2|1925|1|17
deathplace = Boston, Massachusetts, United States
occupation = Novelist, Journalist
nationality = USA
period = 1962 - 2000
spouse = Connie Cormier (1948-2000)
children = Roberta Sullivan
Peter Cormier
Chris Cormier Hayes
Renee Wheeler
relatives = Lucien J. Cormier (father)
Irma M. Cormier (mother)

Robert Edmund Cormier (January 17, 1925–November 2, 2000) was an American author, columnist, and newspaper reporter. He is the author of books such as "I Am the Cheese", "After the First Death", and "The Chocolate War", all of which won awards.cite web |url= http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0180068/bio|title= Robert Cormier - Biography|accessdate=2008-01-19 |format= HTML] "The Chocolate War" was at one point banned from multiple libraries.cite web |url= http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm|title= ALA ! 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000|accessdate=2008-01-21 |format= HTML] His books often are concerned with the themes of corruption, betrayal, victimization, and conspiracy. In most of his novels, the protagonists do not win.cite web |url= http://www.penguin.co.uk/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000023069,00.html |title= Robert Cormier - Penguin UK Authors - Penguin UK |accessdate=2008-01-29 |format= HTML]

Biography

Robert Cormier was born to Lucien Cormier and Irma Cormier, in Leominster, Massachusetts, United States,cite web |url= http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0180068/bio|title= Robert Cormier - Biography|accessdate=2008-01-19 |format= HTML] in the French-Canadian section of the town called French Hill. He was the second of eight children. His family moved frequently to afford rent, but never left his hometown. Even when he was much older and owned a summer home, it was still 19 miles away from Leominster.cite web |url= http://www.achuka.co.uk/special/cormier01.htm |title= Robert Cormier Interview |accessdate=2008-01-29 |format= HTML] Cormier attended a private Catholic school, St. Cecilia's Parochial School. He began writing when he was in the first grade. He was praised at school for his poetry. He first realized his aspiration to become a writer during his year in 6th grade, when he was encouraged by a nun to write a poem. He attended Leominster High School, graduating as the president of his class. As a freshman at Fitchburg State College, he had his first short story published when a college professor, Florence Conlon, sent one of his stories to "The Sign", a national Catholic magazine, without his knowledge for $75.cite web |url= http://www.wpi.edu/Academics/Library/Archives/WAuthors/cormier/bio.html|title= Worchester Area Writers - Robert Cormier - Bio|accessdate=2008-01-19 |format= HTML] Cormier began his professional writing career scripting radio commercials and went on to become an award-winning journalist. Even though he became widely known, he never stopped writing for his local newspaper, the "Fitchburg Sentinel". [cite web |url= http://www.barnesandnoble.com/writers/writerdetails.asp?z=y&cid=885746#bio|title= Barnes & Noble.com|accessdate=2008-01-25 |format= HTML]

Works

Cormier became a full-time writer after the success of his first novel for teenagers, "The Chocolate War", followed by others such as "I Am the Cheese" and "After the First Death". He was concerned with the problems facing young people in modern society, and this concern was reflected in his novels.cite web |url= http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,393333,00.html|title= Robert Cormier ! News ! Guardian Unlimited Books |accessdate=2008-01-28 |format= HTML] cite web |url= http://www.enotes.com/authors/robert-cormier|title= Robert Cormier |accessdate=2008-01-28 |format= HTML] He soon established a reputation as a brilliant and uncompromising writer. Included in his awards is the Margaret A. Edwards Award of the Young Adult Services Division of the American Library Association. This award is presented in recognition of those authors who provide young adults with a window through which they can view the world, and which will help them to grow and understand themselves and their role in society.

In a few of his books, Cormier's hometown of Leominster became the fictional town of Monument, and French Hill became Frenchtown.cite web |url= http://books.guardian.co.uk/news/articles/0,6109,393333,00.html|title= Robert Cormier ! News ! Guardian Unlimited Books |accessdate=2008-01-28 |format= HTML]

Banning of "The Chocolate War"

Due to its language and sexual references, "The Chocolate War" has been banned from certain libraries and schools. In addition to language, the book also depicted secret societies and anarchic students.cite web |url= http://www.enotes.com/authors/robert-cormier|title= Robert Cormier |accessdate=2008-01-28 |format= HTML] Between 1990 and 2000, it was rated as the fourth most banned book according to the American Library Association.cite web |url= http://www.ala.org/ala/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.htm|title= ALA ! 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000|accessdate=2008-01-21 |format= HTML] Unlike its predecessor, Cormier's later book "Beyond The Chocolate War" has not yet made the ALA's most banned list.

Published works

"Listed by publication date"

Novels
* "Now and At the Hour" (1960)
* "Ms. Riley is a Bad Teacher" (1962)
* "A Little Raw on Monday Mornings" (1963)
* "Take Me Where the Good Times Are" (1965)
* "The Chocolate War" (1974)
* "I Am the Cheese" (1977)
* "After the First Death" (1979)
* "The Bumblebee Flies Anyway" (1983)
* "Beyond The Chocolate War" (1985)
* "Fade" (1988)
* "Other Bells for Us to Ring" (1990)
* "We All Fall Down" (1991)
* "Tunes for Bears to Dance To" (1992)
* "In The Middle Of The Night" (1995)
* "Tenderness" (1998)
* "Heroes" (1998)
* "The Rag and Bone Shop" (2001)

"Collections
* "Eight Plus One" (1980)
* "The Moustache" (1974)
* "Frenchtown Summer" (1999)

Nonfiction
* "I Have Words to Spend" (1991)

References

External links

* [http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=5740 Author's Page] at Random House Publishing
* [http://www.barnesandnoble.com/writers/writer.asp?z=y&cid=885746 Meet the Writer] page on Barnes & Noble Website