Butler, Robert Olen.

American writer Robert Olen Butler was born January 20, 1945 in the small steel-mill town of Granite City, Illinois. Planning to major in theatre, Butler enrolled at Northwestern University in 1963. He graduated with a B.S. (Summa Cum Laude) in June 1967 and attended graduate school at the University of Iowa, where he received an M.F.A. in playwriting in 1969. In 1971 he joined the army and spent a year serving in the Vietnam War. His experience in Vietnam was a strong influence in his novels. In the early 1970s, Butler moved to New York City and became a reporter, and later editor, of Electronic News, owned by Fairchild Productions. In 1979, after attending advanced creative writing courses, Butler started writing short stories, novels, and eventually movie screenplays. In May 2000, Butler became Francis Eppes Professor in English at Florida State, an honor which cemented his reputation as a writer dedicated to his craft.

From the description of Robert Olen Butler writings, 1980-2004 (inclusive) (bulk 1940-1978). (Florida State University). WorldCat record id: 659513622