Daniel Woodrell, the influential American novelist best known for Winter’s Bone and the creator of the so-called “country noir” literary style, has died. He was 72.
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According to many reports, such as The New York Times, the acclaimed author passed away on November 28. He was 72 years old. According to the outlet, he died after suffering with pancreatic cancer, as confirmed by his wife, Katie Estill-Woodrell.
The Washington Post, however, claimed that his wife said Woodrell died of prostate cancer.
Born on March 4, 1953, in Springfield, Missouri, Woodrell grew up amid the rugged landscapes of the Ozarks. After leaving high school at a young age to serve in the U.S. Marines, he later returned to education, earning a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kansas and an MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
Woodrell’s writing career spanned nearly four decades. His novels often explored the stark realities of rural life, combining richly drawn characters with narratives that balanced crime, tragedy and natural beauty. He coined the term “country noir” in the mid-1990s to describe works like Give Us a Kiss, a genre-blending style that critics and readers would come to associate with his name.
Daniel Woodrell Wrote ‘Winter’s Bone,’ The Book Behind The Movie
In 2006, Woodrell published Winter’s Bone, the book that would define his public reputation. The novel follows a resourceful teenage girl navigating desperation and danger in the Ozarks as she finds her missing father. The inspiration for this fiction tale is very clear after learning his roots.
In 2010, the book would be adapted into film. The Winter’s Bone movie starred Jennifer Lawrence and went on to earn four Academy Award nominations.
Beyond Winter’s Bone, Woodrell’s body of work included Tomato Red, The Death of Sweet Mister, The Maid’s Version and numerous other novels and stories that garnered praise for their lyrical yet hard-edged realism. His writing was admired for capturing the voices and lives of people often overlooked in mainstream American literature.
Woodrell is survived by his wife, Katie Estill-Woodrell. His legacy endures through his novels and the many writers he inspired to explore the edges of genre and place.