Bill Granger (author)
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Bill Granger (June 1, 1941 – April 22, 2012) was an American
novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...
from
Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...
specializing in political thrillers. He also wrote under the pseudonyms Joe Gash and Bill Griffith. He worked at the ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' and other Illinois newspapers. Some of his thrillers are ''Public Murders'' (1981), ''The November Man'', ''Schism'' and ''The Shattered Eye''.Granger, Bill (1982), (1st ed.), Crown Publishers, Inc.


Early years

Born June 1, 1941, in
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin Wisconsin Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, Wisconsin, United States, along the Wisconsin River. The population was 18,877 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a principal city of the Marshfield, Wisconsin, M ...
, William F. Granger lived most of his life in Chicago, on the city's South Side. He attended St. Ambrose Catholic School until 1955. Next, Granger attended
DePaul University DePaul University is a private university, private Catholic higher education, Catholic research university in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded by the Congregation of the Mission, Vincentians in 1898, the university takes its name from ...
, where he was a student newspaper editor of ''The DePaulia.'' He graduated with a bachelor's degree in English in 1963.Bill Granger papers
DePaul University Special Collections and Archives. Accessed 21 February 2017.
During his student years he was a copy boy with ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', where he met his wife Lori.


Military service and writing career

From 1963 to 1965, Granger served with the
United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...
before his writing career that span from the 1960s to 2000 with several Chicago newspapers: * 1963-1966 Reporter with
United Press International United Press International (UPI) is an American international news agency whose newswires, photo, news film, and audio services provided news material to thousands of newspapers, magazines, radio and television stations for most of the 20th ce ...
Chicago bureau * 1966-1969 Reporter with ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' * 1969 Began teaching journalism classes at Columbia College, Chicago * 1969-1978 Reporter and columnist with ''
Chicago Sun Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily nonprofit newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has long held the second largest circulation among Chicago newspaper ...
'' ** 1971 6-month leave from ''Sun Times'' to Europe and later covering Belfast civil war for ''
Newsday ''Newsday'' is a daily newspaper in the United States primarily serving Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, although it is also sold throughout the New York metropolitan area. The slogan of the newspaper is "Newsday, Your Eye on LI" ...
'', ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'', locally known as ''The'' ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'' or ''WP'', is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., the national capital. It is the most widely circulated newspaper in the Washington m ...
'', and the ''
Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' is an American Newspaper#Daily, daily newspaper that began publishing in Los Angeles, California, in 1881. Based in the Greater Los Angeles city of El Segundo, California, El Segundo since 2018, it is the List of new ...
'' news service * 1972-1974 Returns and becomes suburban feature writer with ''Sun Times'' * 1975-1977 Radio-television critic columnist with the ''Sun Times'' * 1980 Contributing columnist with ''
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
'' * 1994-1999 Columnist with '' Daily Herald''


Novels


The November Man series

* 1979 ''The November Man'' * 1981 ''Schism'' * 1982 ''The Shattered Eye'' * 1983 ''The British Cross'' * 1984 ''The Zurich Numbers'' * 1986 ''Hemingway's Notebook'' * 1987 '' There Are No Spies'' * 1988 ''The Infant Of Prague'' * 1988 ''Henry McGee Is Not Dead'' * 1990 ''The Man Who Heard Too Much'' * 1990 ''League Of Terror'' * 1991 ''The Last Good German'' * 1993 ''Burning The Apostle''


Drover series

* 1991 ''Drover'' * 1992 ''Drover and the Zebras'' * 1994 ''Drover and the Designated Hitter''


Others

* 1980 ''Sweeps'' * 1981 ''Public Murders'' (
Edgar Award The Edgar Allan Poe Awards, popularly called the Edgars, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America which is based in New York City. Named after American writer Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849), a pioneer in the genre, the awards hon ...
winner) * 1982 ''Queen's Crossing'' * 1982 ''Time for Frankie Coolin'' (as Bill Griffith)


Later years and death

Granger had a stroke in January 2000, and ended his writing career. From 2002 to his death he lived in the Manteno Veterans Home; the immediate cause of death was a heart attack, although he had suffered a series of strokes since the 1990s. He is survived by wife Lori and son Alec. In 2001, Lori Granger gave the DePaul University Special Collections and Archives a collection of documents and correspondence, including personal documents, photographs, and childhood items, related to her husband's career as a journalist and novelist.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Granger, Bill 1941 births 2012 deaths American male writers DePaul University alumni Chicago Sun-Times people DePaul University Special Collections and Archives holdings People from Manteno, Illinois