Robert Cormier

Born 17 January 1925 · Died 2 November 2000

Robert Edmund Cormier was an American writer and journalist, known for his deeply pessimistic novels, many of which were written for young adults. Recurring themes include abuse, mental illness, violence, revenge, betrayal, and conspiracy.

Quotes

“Obie was bored. Worse than bored. He was also tired. He went to bed tired and woke up tired. He found himself yawning constantly.”
The Chocolate War, p. 7
“The Goober looked frightened. He was one of those kids who always wanted to please everybody. The guy who never got the girl but worshipped her in secret while the big shot hero rode off in the sunset with her in the end.”
The Chocolate War, p. 32
“It was a rotten world, full of treachery and evil, and you had to be on your toes at all times, ready to combat, outfox, outwit, outdeal everybody else.”
Beyond the Chocolate War, p. 40
“The words final, like a trapdoor slamming shut.”
Beyond the Chocolate War, p. 95
"Don't blame me," he said, surprised at her reaction. "Blame human nature. I didn't make the world."
Beyond the Chocolate War, p. 145

Quotes from Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Books by Robert Cormier in order

Books by Robert Cormier in the order they were published, from Now and at the Hour (1960) to The Rag and Bone Shop (2001).

If you like Robert Cormier

Authors readers of Robert Cormier often like, from our AI-written notes

S.E. HintonHer novel The Outsiders is an early and widely taught YA book about gang violence and class, and readers of Cormier often find the same plain, unsentimental approach to adolescent conflict.
Lois LowryHer novel The Giver is a dystopian YA book about a controlled society and a young person who questions it, which suits readers interested in Cormier's theme of institutional power.
Chris CrutcherHis novels deal directly with abuse, violence and family breakdown in teenage characters, which matches Cormier's subject matter.
Walter Dean MyersHis books address violence, crime and young people caught in hard situations, with a frank tone that suits readers of Cormier's darker work.
Judy BlumeHer novels examine adolescent life honestly and have also been frequently challenged, which connects to the censorship history around The Chocolate War.
Richard PeckHis YA novels are often set in schools and deal with authority, memory and growing up, which overlaps with the school settings in Cormier's books.