ROBBINS, TOM

born July 22, 1936, Blowing Rock, N.C., U.S. in full Thomas Eugene Robbins American novelist noted for his eccentric characters, playful optimism, and self-conscious wordplay. Robbins was educated at Washington and Lee University, Richmond Professional Institute, and the University of Washington. He served in the U.S. Air Force, hitchhiked across the United States, and worked as a journalist and art critic. His first two novels became popular only when they were released in paperback editions. Another Roadside Attraction (1971), anchored by extensive research into early Christianity, is about a native of rural Washington who steals the mummy of Jesus Christ. Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1976; filmed 1994) is the story of a female hitchhiker with enormous thumbs who visits a woman's spa in South Dakota. Robbins' later novels include Still Life with Woodpecker (1980), Jitterbug Perfume (1984), Skinny Legs and All (1990), and Half Asleep in Frog Pajamas (1994).