NEW YORK, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Novelist Raymond Kennedy, who earned notoriety for his dark absurdist literary works, has died of stroke complications in New York at the age of 73.
Through such notable works as "The Flower of the Republic" and "Ride a Cockhorse," Kennedy had earned a reputation as an author unafraid of showcasing bleak settings and comical characters, all typically residing in his native New England, The New York Times said Saturday.
While literary critics were typically divided regarding Kennedy's works, "Cockhorse" was once called "the best comic novel to come my way in a long time" by Washington Post critic Jonathan Yardley.
In addition to creating novels full of boisterous prose, Kennedy taught creative writing at Columbia University from 1982 to 2006.
The Times said Kennedy, who died Monday, is survived by a daughter.
