Jerome Charyn (born May 13, 1937) is an American novelist, short story writer, essayist, and comic book writer. Known for his prolific output and versatile style, Charyn has authored over 50 books across various genres, including crime fiction, historical novels, memoirs, and literary biographies. His work often explores themes of American identity, urban life (particularly New York City and Brooklyn), Jewish culture, pop culture, and historical figures, characterized by a distinctive, often gritty and surreal prose.
Life and Career
Born in the Bronx, New York City, Charyn grew up in a working-class Jewish family in the borough. He attended Columbia University, graduating in 1959. After teaching English at the City College of New York, he embarked on his writing career, publishing his first novel, Once Upon a Droshky, in 1964.Charyn's career is marked by an extraordinary range and productivity. He has cultivated a reputation as a "writer's writer," admired by peers for his originality and command of language. His early work often focused on the lives of marginalized characters in New York City, reflecting his own urban upbringing.
He has also had a significant academic career, teaching at various institutions, including Stanford University, the University of Texas at Austin, and the American University of Paris, where he was Distinguished Professor of English.
Literary Style and Themes
Charyn's prose is highly distinctive, often described as lyrical, visceral, and experimental. He frequently blends realism with elements of the fantastic or surreal, creating unique narrative landscapes. His themes are wide-ranging but consistently return to the American experience, often viewed through a lens of cultural outsiders or historical revisionism.Key thematic preoccupations include:
- New York City: Brooklyn and other boroughs serve as living characters in many of his novels, particularly his acclaimed Isaac Sidel series, which features a Jewish police detective navigating the city's underbelly.
- Jewish Identity: Many characters grapple with their heritage, and Charyn often explores the complexities of Jewish life in America.
- American History and Pop Culture: He frequently reimagines historical events and figures (e.g., [[Marilyn Monroe]], [[Abraham Lincoln]], [[Emily Dickinson]], [[Wild Bill Hickok]]), often interweaving them with elements of pop culture and his own speculative interpretations.
- Crime and Violence: A recurring element, particularly in his genre-bending crime novels, where violence is often depicted with a raw, unflinching honesty.
- Memory and Childhood: Many of his memoirs and semi-autobiographical works delve into his own past, exploring the formation of identity and the nature of remembrance.
Notable Works
Charyn's extensive bibliography includes:- The Isaac Sidel Series: A sequence of critically praised crime novels featuring the unconventional New York City police detective Isaac Sidel, beginning with Blue Eyes (1974).
- Historical and Biographical Novels:
- The Secret Life of the Brooklyn Bridge (1993): A reimagining of the construction of the iconic bridge.
- Marilyn the Wild (1976): A biographical novel about [[Marilyn Monroe]].
- Darlin' Bill: A Love Story of the Wild West (1990): A fictionalized account of Wild Bill Hickok.
- The Good People of New York (2009): A novel exploring the American Civil War era.
- Memoirs and Non-Fiction:
- Gangsters and Gold Diggers: The Birth of Hollywood and the Great Depression (2003): A cultural history.
- Savage Shorthand: The Life and Death of an American Original (2005): A biography of S.J. Perelman.
- I Am a Book. I Am a Writer. (2011): A collection of essays and memoir.
- A Little White Space: A Life of the Imagination (2017): Another memoir focusing on his writing life.
- Comic Books: Charyn has also written for comic books, most notably The Magician's Wife (1986), illustrated by [[François Boucq]], and Little Tulip (2014), also with Boucq.