Photo: Øystein Vidnes / CC BY-SA 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
My Take
William T. Vollmann embodies, for me, the idea of writing as risk. Los Angeles born, Cornell educated, he refused the safety of the desk and went to war zones as a correspondent, pouring lived danger into vast novels and essays. His 2005 National Book Award for Europe Central confirmed what readers already knew: he stares directly into history's darkest corners. I have a weakness for writers who refuse to observe from a comfortable distance, and Vollmann is the archetype. His books demand stamina, but that effort is precisely the proof of an author who wrote with his whole life on the line.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- William T. Vollmann
- Name (Japanese)
- ウィリアム・T・ヴォルマン
- Reading
- うぃりあむ・T・ゔぉるまん
- Born
- July 28, 1959 (age 66)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Leo / Boar
- Origin
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- novelist / essayist / war correspondent / short story writer / writer
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- Private
- University
- Cornell University
Awards & achievements
- 2005 National Book Award
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
5. Works & records
| Category | Title | Role | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Notable work | Europe Central | — |
6. Links
Frequently asked questions
When was William T. Vollmann born?
Born July 28, 1959 (age 66).
Where is William T. Vollmann from?
William T. Vollmann is from Los Angeles, California, United States.
What does William T. Vollmann do?
William T. Vollmann works as novelist, essayist, war correspondent, short story writer, writer.
What is William T. Vollmann known for?
Notable works include Europe Central.
Novelist — see all → · Essayist — see all → · More people from United States →
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
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.