(1922–1993)

(Has also written under the pseudonyms Daniel Harper and Iris-Marie Brossard) American novelist, nonfiction writer, short story writer, and playwright.

Brossard’s novels are often steeped in political commentary, relying on provocative themes to probe post-World War II American identity. While Brossard was a contemporary of the Beat Generation, he was never an active participant in the group, despite the fact that his 1952 novel Who Walk in Darkness achieved notoriety as one of the first “Beat” novels. Brossard contributed to the body of existential literature of the 1960s, and challenged mainstream American social values in the majority of his works.

Biographical Information

Brossard was born July 18, 1922, in Idaho Falls, Idaho, the son of Mormon parents. His father was an alcoholic, and the family lived in poverty. Brossard was forced to leave school at age eleven to help support his family, and as...