John Knowles,  (born Sept. 16, 1926, Fairmont, W.Va., U.S.—died Nov. 29, 2001, near Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), American author, who was best known for his first published novel, A Separate Peace (1959; filmed 1972). Most of his works are psychological examinations of characters caught in conflict between the wild and the pragmatic sides of their personalities.

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