An American novelist, essayist, and professor, he is best known for his 1971 novel, Grendel, which retells the myth of Beowulf from the monster's perspective. His other works include Nickel Mountain: A Pastoral Novel (1973) and October Light (1976). He graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in 1955 and subsequently received his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa. He later worked as a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the University of Detroit.
