(1925 – 1998) Ironic and erudite, Hawkes’ elaborate writings attempt to radically re-fashion fictional structures. A restrained writing style, combined with an interest in the erotic and violent spaces of the modern landscape, produce an eerie, often Gothic, atmosphere in his work.

Although generally much admired by writers and critics who support the experimental conceits of avant-garde or postmodern literature, unsympathetic readers find his novels and short stories dry and often overly formal. A hint of his style and concerns can be gleaned from a provocative 1965 statement that plot, character, setting and theme were the true enemies of fiction. Hawkes’ novel The Blood Oranges (1971) was the basis for a 1997 film of the same name.