Gilbert Sorrentino
Biography
Gilbert Sorrentino (1929–2004) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet, widely recognized for his experimental and metafictional work. Born in Brooklyn, New York, he served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War before attending the City College of New York and Brooklyn College. Sorrentino was a prominent figure in the post-modern literary scene, often associated with the Black Mountain poets and the New York School. He was a close friend of William Carlos Williams and Hubert Selby Jr., and his early career included editing the literary magazine 'Neon'. Sorrentino's teaching career spanned decades, including positions at Sarah Lawrence College, Columbia University, and Stanford University. He authored numerous books, often challenging conventional narrative structures and exploring the nature of fiction itself. His work frequently drew upon his working-class Brooklyn background, though filtered through an often sardonic and formally innovative lens. He died in New York City at the age of 74.
Selected Thoughts
«The writer is a trickster, a juggler, a charlatan, a con man, a fraud, a scoundrel, a liar, a villain, a knave, a rogue, a cheat, a deceiver, a bamboozler, a humbug, a quack, a mountebank, a dissembler, a hypocrite, an imposter, a pretender, a poseur, a faker, a sham, a counterfeit, a forgery, a travesty, a mockery, a parody, a caricature, a burlesque, a satire, a lampoon, a hoax, a delusion, an illusion, a figment of the imagination.»
«All writing is a process of selection, and what is selected is often less important than what is omitted.»
«The true function of the writer is to produce a work that is in some sense a mirror of the society in which he lives, but a mirror in which the image is distorted and discolored.»
Writing Style
Sorrentino's writing style is highly experimental, characterized by metafiction, intricate narrative structures, parody, pastiche, and a self-conscious engagement with the act of storytelling. He often subverts conventional plots, character development, and genre expectations, frequently employing literary games, repetitions, and recursive patterns. His prose is known for its precision, wit, and often mordant humor, alongside a meticulous attention to linguistic detail.