Edmund White, Pioneering Author of Gay Literature, Dead at 85

NEED TO KNOW

Writer Edmund White has died at age 85

The author was widely regarded as a pioneering figure of LGBTQ+ literature, and published over 30 books throughout his career

Some of White's notable work included the semi-autobiographical novel A Boy’s Own Story and the nonfiction book The Joy of Gay Sex

Edmund White, the pioneering author who documented the gay experience through acclaimed works of fiction and nonfiction, has died. He was 85.

The writer’s death on June 3 was confirmed by his husband, Michael Carroll, and agent Bill Clegg, The New York Times , The Guardian and NBC News report. White collapsed while waiting for an ambulance after experiencing stomach illness symptoms, though an official cause of death has not yet been released.

White was born on Jan.