1933-1991 Polish author
Purportedly he had a horrific childhood hiding from the Nazis during World War II, and a tenuous existence under the Stalinists in Poland. Emigrating to the U.S., he drew upon his past experiences to write semiautobiographical novels with elements of violence, anxiety, and eroticism, as in The Painted Bird (1965) and Steps (1968). He also wrote several books on sociology under the name of Joseph Novak. He committed suicide in New York City.
Source:
http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/8200/kosinski.htm
Last Updated 12.16.01