The Death of a Mythmaker: A Major Witness to the Holocaust Takes His Own Life

This article briefly outlines the life & writing career of novelist, Jerzy Kosinki, who committed suicide in 1991. Kosinki wrote the critically acclaimed novel, The Painted Bird, which describes a boy who witnessed & experienced the horrors of the Holocaust. Much of the book was drawn from Kosinki’s own experiences during the Holocaust. The authors describe his books, their violent themes, & critics’ responses to them. (VM)