Robert Cormier's Death

[Shonda L Brisco/lib/Okstate <bshonda@OKSTATE.EDU>]

I know I can't be the ONLY one who missed this one!  I was looking through
Booklist (12/15/2000) and noticed the "In Memoriam" to Robert Cormier.  I
felt that surely this event was posted on LM_NET and went to the Archives.
I did find the subject line which read:  Fw: RE: Robert Cormier.  I guess I
deleted it thinking that it was a request for materials by or about Robert
Cormier--and it was a busy time, so I left it for someone else.   Little
did I realize that this was a notification regarding his death!

I had the wonderful opportunity to "accidentally" sit next to him at
Oklahoma's Encyclo-Media Conference (librarian-teacher conference for the
state) a few years ago.  I sat in the front row because it was packed!
There were two seats and I sat in one leaving the outside seat available
for another "late-comer".  As I was adjusting my packages, books and other
materials, an older man sat next to me.  I remember I quickly glanced at
the man, noticing that he was wearing a brown cordoroy jacket, had gray
hair, and was wearing glasses.   He asked me if I was enjoying the
conference and I told him yes, but that this program was going to be the
most exciting one at the conference for me!   I didn't even realize who it
was until he was introduced!  It was Robert Cormier.

I did an author study of him later during one of my graduate courses and
read every one of his books (at that time).  It was so exciting to read
them because he had spoken about several titles during his Encyclo-Media
presentation and gave some insight as to how or why he wrote them.  I felt
that I had a much better understanding of his novels because of his
presentation and his humor at the conference.  I also felt that in his
books he addressed many issues facing teenagers--death, isolation, crime,
etc.-- (some of which, he said, were ideas taken from local newspaper
stories surrounding real events and kids within his community)--and
although most of his books don't have happy endings, I can truly say that
they do represent the side of the coin that we don't want to necessarily
talk about...and that has made all the difference!

Thank you, Robert Cormier, for introducing us to a different kind of young
adult literature.

(He is one that I will certainly miss reading!)


Shonda Brisco
Assistant Professor / Librarian

Mary L. Williams Curriculum Materials Library
Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma
bshonda@okstate.edu
405-744-9769

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