Photo: Mark Coggins from San Francisco / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
James Ellroy is one of the few crime writers whose style I would recognize in a single sentence. That stripped, staccato prose, all connective tissue cut away, hits like a series of body blows, and it perfectly matches the bleak Los Angeles he keeps excavating. The Black Dahlia and L.A. Confidential are not just novels, they are autopsies of a city's corruption. I find his refusal to offer any comfort almost bracing. His Edgar Award feels earned not for politeness but for relentlessness. To me Ellroy proves that a voice this dark can still be a thing of severe, addictive beauty.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- James Ellroy
- Name (Japanese)
- ジェイムズ・エルロイ
- Reading
- じぇいむず・えるろい
- Born
- March 4, 1948 (age 78)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Pisces / Rat
- Origin
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- writer / novelist / autobiographer / screenwriter / crime fiction writer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Fairfax High School
- University
- Private
Awards & achievements
- 2015 Edgar Awards
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Lloyd Hopkins Trilogy | — | |
| Notable work | L.A. Quartet | — | |
| Notable work | Underworld USA Trilogy | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was James Ellroy born?
Born March 4, 1948 (age 78).
Where is James Ellroy from?
James Ellroy is from Los Angeles, California, United States.
What does James Ellroy do?
James Ellroy works as writer, novelist, autobiographer, screenwriter, crime fiction writer.
What is James Ellroy known for?
Notable works include Lloyd Hopkins Trilogy, L.A. Quartet, Underworld USA Trilogy.
Writer — see all → · Novelist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-19
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.