The writer passed away on Friday (03Jul15) at a nursing home in Paramus, New Jersey after suffering complications from Alzheimer's disease, according to the New York Times.

Williams was best known for his 1967 novel The Man Who Cried I Am, based on the life of author Richard Wright, as well as a controversial biography of civil rights icon Martin Luther King, Jr.

The 1970 book painted an unflattering picture of King just two years after his assassination and caused a widespread furore.

During his career, Williams won the American Book Award for his 1983 novel !Click Song as well as the American Book Award Lifetime Achievement Award, and he was also inducted into the National Literary Hall of Fame.

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NY Times: John Williams, 71, a Novelist, Editor and Professor of English ...