Robert O'Connor (author)

Robert O'Connor (born 1959) is an American novelist and professor. His satiric novel Buffalo Soldiers was adapted into the 2001 movie of the same name.

Robert O'Connor
Born1959 (age 64–65)
United States
OccupationNovelist, screenwriter
GenreFiction

Personal life

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O'Connor received a B.A. in English/Writing Arts from the State University of New York at Oswego, and an M.A. in English from Syracuse University. As of 2005, he teaches Intermediate Fiction, Advanced Fiction and Intermediate Screenwriting at SUNY Oswego.[1]

Literary career

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He is the author of a novel, 1993's Buffalo Soldiers, which was adapted into the film of the same name. The literary magazine Granta called him one of the most promising young novelists,[2] and novelist James Carroll, in a positive review in The New York Times, called him a "fine novelist."[3] In the United Kingdom, Buffalo Soldiers was highly praised by the reviewer of The Independent, who called it "powerful" and said that the novel's denouement was "delicate, unflinching and deeply moving."[4] Other reviewers praised his portrayal of American military life in Germany, including its "race hatred and race-related violence."[5]

The movie version of the book, which was initially produced for a 2001 release, was delayed until 2003 given the unfavorable portrayal of the United States Army, which was particularly salient after the September 11 attacks.[6]

References

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  1. ^ Ryan, Laura T. (30 October 2005). "Film and Fiction Topic of SUNY Oswego Professor". The Post-Standard.
  2. ^ Wells, Dean Faulkner; Julia Reed (2003). The New Great American Writers Cookbook. University of Mississippi Press. p. 53. ISBN 978-1-57806-589-9. Retrieved 24 May 2010.
  3. ^ Carroll, James (28 March 1993). "The War of a Peacetime Soldier". The New York Times.
  4. ^ Goodwin, Jo-Ann (21 March 1993). "BOOK REVIEW / Uncle Sam's crack troops: 'Buffalo Soldiers' - Robert O'Connor: Flamingo, 5.99 pounds". The Independent.
  5. ^ Hawkins, John Palmer (2001). Army of hope, army of alienation: culture and contradiction in the American Army communities of Cold War Germany. Greenwood. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-275-96738-3.
  6. ^ Giglio, Ernest D. (2005). Here's looking at you: Hollywood, film & politics. Peter Lang. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-8204-7099-3.
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