William Styron, who was born in Newport News, Virginia in 1925, was a highly acclaimed American author of literary fiction. He is recognized as one of the greatest writers of his generation, having published his first book, "Lie Down in Darkness," at the young age of twenty-six. Styron's works have had a significant impact on American literature and have earned him numerous awards and accolades.
Some of Styron's most notable works include "The Confessions of Nat Turner," a controversial novel that won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction, and "Sophie's Choice," an international bestseller. His writing is known for its powerful exploration of complex and often dark themes, such as slavery, mental illness, and the Holocaust.
In addition to his literary accomplishments, Styron was also a graduate of Duke University and a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps. He was awarded the Howells Medal, the American Book Award, the Legion d'Honneur, and the Witness to Justice Award from the Auschwitz Jewish Center Foundation. Styron lived for most of his adult life in Roxbury, Connecticut, and in Vineyard Haven, Massachusetts, with his wife, the poet and activist Rose Styron, until his death in 2006. He is buried in Vineyard Haven.