William Kotzwinkle

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William Kotzwinkle Criticism

William Kotzwinkle, born in 1938, is a versatile American author known for his eclectic range of novels and children’s books. His diverse body of work spans urban fiction, as demonstrated in The Fan Man, which captures New York’s hippy culture with authentic dialects, to more provocative themes found in Night Book. Kotzwinkle’s literary style often blends elements of fantasy and reality, a technique that is evident in Fata Morgana. This novel elevates the suspense genre by intertwining fairy tale motifs with a detective story, as noted by Hollis Alpert and Jerome Charyn. Despite its imaginative narrative and sensuous order, Phoebe-Lou Adams criticizes it for relying on the clichéd "it was all a dream" trope. Kotzwinkle's Doctor Rat, a satirical animal fable, has been critiqued for its sentimental portrayal of animal suffering and its simplistic moral stance, as highlighted by Richard P. Brickner, Robert Stone, and Anne Larsen. Despite mixed reviews, Kotzwinkle's ability to experiment with different genres and narrative styles marks him as a significant figure in contemporary literature.

Contents

  • Kotzwinkle, William (Vol. 5)
  • Kotzwinkle, William (Vol. 14)
    • Fiction and Poetry: 'Doctor Rat'
    • Soft in Tooth and Claw
    • Did Doctor Rat Sell Out?
    • Mysterious Mirage
    • Conjuring Tricks
    • Books Considered: 'Fata Morgana'
    • PLA: 'Fata Morgana'