Peter matthiessen was the only writer to win the national book award for fiction and nonfiction. His final novel, in paradise, is being published this week. Shadow country is an epic of american rise and descentpoetic, mythic, devastating. A native of new york city, he published his first novel, race rock, in 1954, and went on to pen over 30 more books. The other veteran of the group is 81yearold peter matthiessen, who received the nba in 1979 for nonfiction. Months ago, peter matthiessen predicted it would be his last word, and now, sadly, we know he was right. Oct 15, 2008 award season is hitting a its stride, and this years national book award finalists have been announced. Lost mans river by peter matthiessen nook book ebook.
Peter matthiessen, american novelist, naturalist, and wilderness writer whose work dealt with the destructive effects of encroaching technology on preindustrial cultures and the natural environment. Peter matthiessen may 22, 1927 april 5, 2014 was an american novelist, naturalist, wilderness writer and cia agent. In this, his final novel, he confronts the legacy of. The national book awards nominees are out, and this years fiction section spans every level of experience. National book awards 1966 national book foundation. Winner, 2008 national book awards winner, national book awards 1980. The 81yearold author last won a national book award nearly 30 years ago. Book one is told variously by the people who knew him and ultimately killed him. Peter matthiessen died on saturday at the age of 86 after a long battle with cancer. Fiction the man with the golden arm, by nelson algren nonfiction ralph waldo emerson, by ralph l. In 2016, matthiessens son alex, an environmentalist, joined schaller to retrace the route described in the snow leopard. Apr 18, 2020 peter matthiessen, american novelist, naturalist, and wilderness writer whose work dealt with the destructive effects of encroaching technology on preindustrial cultures and the natural environment. Award season is hitting a its stride, and this years national book award finalists have been announced. Besides at play in the fields of the lord, which was nominated for the national book award, he published six other works of fiction, including far tortuga and.
Despite his literary pedigree and awards in fiction, matthiessen was most popularly known as a nature writer. Apr 06, 2014 despite his literary pedigree and awards in fiction, matthiessen was most popularly known as a nature writer. Peter matthiessen was born may 22, 1927, in new york city. Peter matthiessens the snow leopard in the age of climate.
Peter matthiessens shadow country is an extraordinary literary achievement by one of this countrys best authors of recent times. Acclaimed author and environmentalist peter matthiessen. The home used to be the garage and outbuildings of a larger estate. Subtitled a new rendering of the watson legend, it is a semifictional account of the life of scottishamerican edgar bloody watson 18551910, a real florida sugar cane planter and alleged outlaw who was killed by a posse of his neighbors in the remote ten.
Nov 20, 2008 at a ceremony in new york last night, the 59th national book award for fiction went to peter matthiesson for shadow country something of a first for the awards since it is a revised version of a. Matthiessen wins national book award fiction prize the. In this bold new rendering, matthiessen has cut nearly a third of the overall text and collapsed the time frame while deepening the insights and. Three years later, he won two national book awards for a nonfiction account, the snow leopard. Dec 30, 2018 in 2016, matthiessens son alex, an environmentalist, joined schaller to retrace the route described in the snow leopard. Mar 12, 2020 peter matthiessen s great american epic killing mister watson, lost mans river, and bone by bone was conceived as one vast mysterious novel, but because of its length it was originally broken up into three books. Shadow country a new rendering of the watson legend. Peter matthiessen, threetime national book award winner and esteemed author of both fiction and nonfiction, has never backed away from writing about difficult subjects. Both his fiction and nonfiction works combined remote settings, lyrical description, and passionate. He wrote for the new yorker and had won a national book award for the snow leopard. He is the only author to have won the national book award in both nonfiction the snow leopard in 1980 and fiction shadow country, 2008.
Peter matthiessen with two awards for the snow leopard above and the 2008 fiction award for shadow country. Matthiessens nonfiction featured nature and travel, notably the snow leopard and american indian issues and history, such as a detailed and controversial study of the leonard peltier case, in the spir. Sublime writer peter matthiessens last book skip to. In his new novel in paradise, he sets his story in the mid90s at a spiritual retreat at auschwitz. Matthiessen was born into a privileged background, in new york, where. Updates since receiving the heinz award april 2014 mr. He will be remembered most as the author of the cherished naturalworld travelogue the snow leopard, which was awarded two national book awards in the us. Peter matthiessen, wilderness writer, is dead at 86. Peter matthiessen, lyrical writer and naturalist, is dead. Public appearances include benefits, conferences, lectures, memorials, readings, and. Books by peter matthiessen author of the snow leopard. From his everglades trilogy peter matthiessen has coaxed a masterpiece, a wrenching story of familial, racial and environmental degradation stretching from the civil war to the great depression. Peter matthiessen national book awards fiction winners.
He was a writer, known for at play in the fields of the lord 1991, the young one 1960 and dead birds 1963. Peter matthiessen 19272014 was a writer, naturalist, and explorer who was praised as one of the shamans of literature. National book awards american literary award britannica. Matthiessen, awardwinning author of more than thirty books, worldrenowned naturalist, explorer.
Feb 02, 2018 matthiessen is the only writer to win national book awards in both nonfiction, for the snow leopard, and fiction, for his 2008 novel, shadow country. Mark doty and peter matthiessen win national book awards. Apr 18, 2014 peter matthiessen, awardwinning author of more than 30 books, worldrenowned naturalist, explorer, zen buddhist and political activist, predicted that in paradise would be his last book. Reworked novel by peter matthiesson takes national book award. The winner of the national book award in poetry is mark doty for fire to fire.
Acclaimed author and environmentalist peter matthiessen dead. His interview with ron rosenbaum was among his last before succumbing to leukemia at the age of 86. All fiction winners national book awards, national book. Reading through the notes for peter matthiessens wouldbe. Marilynne robinson is nominated for home, a sequel to her 2005 pulitzer prizewinning novel gilead. Oldtimer among four honored in new york entertainment. Three years later, he won two national book awards for a nonfiction. Peter matthiessen was an american novelist, naturalist, wilderness writer, zen teacher and cia officer. Although he saw himself primarily as a novelist, peter matthiessen, who has.
April 8, 2014 the late peter matthiessens last novel follows a fractious group of attendees at an auschwitz memorial conference as. Matthiessen, 81, had some words of wisdom for his fellow nominees. Brooks hays 0 peter matthiessen speaking at the miami book fair international in. Peter matthiessen, lyrical writer and naturalist, is dead at 86 the author, at his home in sagaponack, n. He wrote about the experience in a special edition of the book. It has been included in several lists of best travel books including world hums ten most celebrated books, washington post book worlds travel books. Peter,matthiessen,receives,heinz,award,humanities,diverse,fiction,nonfiction. Peter matthiessen s shadow country is an extraordinary literary achievement by one of this countrys best authors of recent times. Edgar watson, a story of the everglades, one of the last frontiers around the. The snow leopard won the 1979 national book award in the category contemporary thought and the 1980 national book award for nonfiction paperback. Peter matthiessen was born on may 22, 1927 in new york city, new york, usa. Matthiessens most lasting literary contributions is the. Judges for the national book award honored a comeback, giving the fiction award to peter matthiessens shadow country, a thorough revision of a trilogy of novels from the 1990s.
The awards were founded in 1950 by the american book publishers council, american booksellers association, and book manufacturers institute. Matthiessen died just days before the publication of his last novel, slated for tuesday. Peter matthiessen was a literary legend, the author of more than thirty acclaimed books. Nov 20, 2008 judges for the national book award honored a comeback, giving the fiction award to peter matthiessen s shadow country, a thorough revision of a trilogy of novels from the 1990s. Peter matthiessen, lyrical writer and naturalist, is dead at 86 the. Matthiessen passed away earlier this month, leaving behind the legacy of a large life as. In this bold new rendering, matthiessen has cut nearly a third of the overall text and collapsed the time frame while deepening the insights and motivations of his characters with. Writer peter matthiessen stands in the yard of his house in sagaponack, n. Peter matthiessen may 22, 1927 april 5, 2014 was an american novelist, naturalist, wilderness writer, zen teacher and cia officer. It is an account of his twomonth search for the snow leopard with naturalist george schaller in the dolpo region on the tibetan plateau in the himalayas.
Looking at our speculative post of a couple weeks ago, we pegged marilynne robinson and aleksandar hemon as likely fiction finalists kudos to garth on guessing both. In paradise seeks meaning in the holocaust houston. Matthiessens final novel, in paradise, is to be published on tuesday. He practised zen buddhism and was seen by some as a newage guru. Matthiessen is the only writer to win national book awards in both nonfiction, for the snow leopard, and fiction, for his 2008 novel, shadow country. New york judges for the national book awards honored a comeback last night, giving the fiction award to peter matthiessens shadow country, a revision of a trilogy of novels from the 1990s. Peter matthiessen, awardwinning author of more than 30 books, worldrenowned naturalist, explorer, zen buddhist and political activist, predicted that in paradise would be his last. The snow leopard is a 1978 book by peter matthiessen. When carey bobbed up at last, peter hauled him violently aboard. Subtitled a new rendering of the watson legend, it is a semifictional account of the life of scottishamerican edgar bloody watson 18551910, a real florida sugar cane planter and alleged outlaw who was killed by a posse of his neighbors in the remote ten thousand islands region of southwest florida.
Peter matthiessen was born in new york city in 1927 and had already begun his writing career by the time he graduated from yale university in 1950. Browse author series lists, sequels, pseudonyms, synopses, book covers, ratings and awards. The explorer, environmentalist and treasured author peter matthiessen was the first on filmmaker rebecca dreyfus wish list to feature in on meditation, a series of personal shorts exploring the subject alongside other notable deepthought practitioners including david lynch. Peter matthiessen took up watson in three books in the watson. National book awards, annual awards given to books of the highest quality written by americans and published by american publishers. Each of the four winners received a prize of ten thousand dollars. The novel centers around clements olin, an american academic.
Shadow country is a novel by peter matthiessen, published by random house in 2008. The snow leopard, by peter matthiessen fiction going after cacciato. Peter matthiessens final novel is a confronting engagement with the. Matthiessen, whose work had been influenced by his practice of zen buddhism and his interest in indigenous cultures, lived in sagaponack, new york. In paradise seeks meaning in the holocaust houston chronicle. Joining them is 81yearold peter matthiessen for a book that, as. In paradise, by peter matthiessen the washington post.
He was married to maria eckhart, deborah love and patsy southgage. Joining them is 81yearold peter matthiessen for a book that, as the ap notes, is an. Peter matthiessen to put out a new novel, in paradise 092420. Peter matthiessens great american epic killing mister watson, lost mans river, and bone by bone was conceived as one vast mysterious novel, but because of its length it was originally broken up into three books. Matthiessens final novel, in paradise, about a writer venturing to auschwitz to confront the holocaust will be published this month by riverhead books. Peter matthiessen 19272014 was an american novelist, naturalist, wilderness writer, and cia agent. List of winners of the national book award wikipedia. Peter matthiessen is the 2008 national book award winner for fiction 11202008. Author peter matthiessen, who used fiction and nonfiction to explore. His father, erard, was an architect and conservationist who became a leader in the national audubon society. He was also a worldrenowned naturalist, explorer, activist, and buddhist teacher. Shadow country kindle edition by matthiessen, peter. Peter matthiessens extraordinary life is profiled in the new york times magazine 04032014. Trudging through the snow that blankets the old whaling.
Lewis thomas with two awards for the lives of a cell above and the 1981 science paperback award for the medusa and the snail. More about this book everything that rise must converge. Peter matthiessen is the author of more than thirty books and the only writer to win the national book award for both nonfiction the snow leopard, in two categories, in 1979 and 1980 and fiction shadow country, in 2008. In paradise, finding understanding in the ruins of horror. Reading through the notes for peter matthiessens wouldbe autobiography. Peter matthiessen, a veteran of the national book awards as both a winner and a finalist, won the fiction award for shadow country. Awards include the cooper prize 2001, heinz award 1999, and the lannan lifetime achievement award 2002, among others. The bestselling final novel by a writer of incomparable range, power, and achievement, a threetime winner of the national book award.