Robert Cormier

**Robert Edmund Cormier** (January 17, 1925 – November 2, 2000) was an American author, columnist, and reporter. His literature includes negative feelings and ideas. His most popular books include _I Am the Cheese_, _After the First Death_, _We All Fall Down_ and _The Chocolate War_. All of those novels won awards. Many people tried to keep his first book, _The Chocolate War_ out of libraries because they thought it was bad for children. His books often show abuse, mental illness, violence, revenge, betrayal and conspiracy. In most of his novels, the good characters fail.

## Biography

Robert Cormier was born in Leominster, Massachusetts, United States, in the French-Canadian part of the town called French Hill. His parents were Geoffrey Leonard and Irma Cormier. Robert was the second of eight children. His family moved often to so they could pay their rent. However, they never left Leominster. Even when Robert was older, he stayed nearby. He owned a summer home 19 miles away from his hometown. Cormier studied at St. Cecilia's Parochial School. It was a private Catholic school. He began writing when he was in the first grade. He was praised at school for his poetry. He first decided to become a writer in 7th grade. He was encouraged by a nun to write a poem. He went Leominster High School and graduated as the president of his class. As a freshman at Fitchburg State College, he had his first short story published. A college professor, Florence Conlon, sent one of his stories to a national Catholic magazine called _The Sign_.  She did not ask Cormier before she sent the story to the magazine. He was paid $75. Cormier early work was writing advertisements for radio. Later, he became an award-winning journalist. Even though he became widely known, he never stopped writing for his local newspaper, the _Fitchburg Sentinel_.

## Writing

Cormier became a full-time writer after his first novel for teenagers, _The Chocolate War_, became successful. Then he wrote other books such as _I Am the Cheese_ and _After the First Death_. He thought young people in modern society experienced many problems. He put his thoughts and worries into his novels. Soon he became known as a very good writer. Cormier would not change his way of thinking to please other people. He won the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the Young Adult Services Division of the American Library Association. This award is for writers who give young adults a new way to see the world understand their place in society.

ICormier used real places in some of his books. His hometown, Leominster, became the town of Monument in the story. The real place French Hill became Frenchtown.

## Actions against _The Chocolate War_

People have tried to ban _The Chocolate War_ and keep it out of schools and libraries. They did not want children to read the book because it described sexual activity and used adult language. The book also described secret societies and students breaking rules. The book was challenged many times between 1990 and 2000. According to the American Library Association only three other books were challenged more often during that time.

## Published works

_Listed by publication date_

**Novels**
- _Now and At the Hour_ (1960)
- _Mrs. Riley is a Bad Teacher_ (1962) (unpublished? manuscript only?)
- _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) (Published in U.K. in 1991 under the title _Darcy_)
- _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)

## Other websites

- Author's Page at Random House Publishing
- Meet the Writer  page on Barnes & Noble Website

## Infobox (writer)

- **name**: Robert Edmond Cormier
- **birth place**: Leominster, Massachusetts, Leominster, Massachusetts, United States
- **death place**: Boston, Massachusetts, Boston, Massachusetts, United States
- **occupation**: Author
- **nationality**: USA
- **period**: 1962 - 2000
- **genres**: Suspense, Young Adult
- **spouse**: Connie Cormier (b 1948)
- **children**: Andrew Zimbal
 Peter Cormier
Chris Cormier Hayes
 Renee Wheeler
- **relatives**: Lucien J. Cormier (father)
 Irma M. Cormier (mother)