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Adam Johnson

アダム・ジョンソン

Adam Johnson

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1967-07-12 （South Dakota, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Tempe, Arizona, United States (raised) → San Francisco, California, United States (residence) → Palo Alto (Stanford University), California, United States (work)

Career

Occupations
novelist, short story writer, professor of English
Active Years
1996-
Affiliations
Stanford University, Department of English
Memberships
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe (enrolled member)
Influenced By
Ron Carlson, Robert Olen Butler, John Wood, Janet Burroway

Education

Arizona State University, Tempe
Undergraduate (Journalism) / Department of Journalism
Degree: BA
Period: 1988–1992
Year of Graduation: 1992
Country: United States
BA in Journalism; studied fiction with Ron Carlson during undergraduate years.
McNeese State University
Graduate (MFA) / Creative Writing
Degree: MFA
Period: 1995–1996
Year of Graduation: 1996
Country: United States
MFA in the writing program; studied with Robert Olen Butler and John Wood.
Florida State University
Graduate (PhD) / English
Degree: PhD
Period: 1998–2001
Year of Graduation: 2001
Country: United States
PhD in English; dissertation directed by Janet Burroway.

Awards

Swarthout Writing Award
1992
Organization: Arizona State University
Result: 受賞
Stegner Fellowship
1999
Organization: Stanford Creative Writing Program
Result: フェロー（1999–2001）
California Book Award
2003
Work: Parasites Like Us
Organization: California Book Awards
Result: 受賞
Whiting Award
2009
Organization: Whiting Foundation
Result: 受賞
National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
2010
Organization: National Endowment for the Arts
Result: フェローシップ（受給）
Gina Berriault Literary Award
2010
Organization: Gina Berriault Award
Result: 受賞
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
2013
Work: The Orphan Master's Son
Organization: The Pulitzer Prizes
Result: 受賞
Dayton Literary Peace Prize
2013
Work: The Orphan Master's Son
Organization: Dayton Literary Peace Prize
Result: 受賞
Sunday Times EFG Private Bank Short Story Award
2014
Work: Short story "Nirvana"
Organization: The Sunday Times
Result: 受賞
National Book Award for Fiction
2015
Work: Fortune Smiles
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: 受賞
The Story Prize
2016
Work: Fortune Smiles
Organization: The Story Prize
Result: 受賞
Amazon.com Debut Writer of the Year
2002
Organization: Amazon.com
Result: 受賞
New York Public Library Young Lions Award (nominee)
2002
Organization: New York Public Library
Result: ノミネート

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Parasites Like Us

2003 Fiction (satire / dark humor)

A satirical novel set against themes of societal collapse and environmental crisis, blending dark humor and allegory.

satireenvironmental crisissocietal collapse

The Orphan Master's Son

2012 Fiction (historical / political / literary realism) 448 pages

A novel set in North Korea that explores propaganda, love, and sacrifice, excavating meaning, identity, and moral complexity.

propagandaidentitylove and sacrifice

Emporium

2002 Short story collection (contemporary fiction)

Early short story collection featuring characters on the margins of society, exploring isolation and disconnection.

lonelinessalienationslices of American culture

Fortune Smiles

2015 Short story collection (contemporary short fiction)

A collection of short stories marked by satire, slightly speculative elements, and sharp character work; winner of the 2015 National Book Award.

alienationtechnologybreakdown of human relationships

The Wayfinder

2025 Novel

(Forthcoming / limited available information)

Bibliography

  • Emporium (2002)
  • Parasites Like Us (2003)
  • The Orphan Master's Son (2012)
  • Fortune Smiles (2015)
  • Short story "George Orwell was a Friend of Mine" (2015, 21st Editions)
  • The Wayfinder (2025)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
literary realism blended with satirical and allegorical elementsdark humordetailed character work and social observation
Recurring Motifs
isolation and alienationthe power of propaganda and discoursetechnology and near-future sensibilitiesloss and redemption

Legacy

Recognized as an important voice in contemporary American literature. His novels and acclaimed short stories addressing political and social themes earned major awards (Pulitzer Prize, National Book Award). As an educator at Stanford, he has also had significant influence on creative writing training.

Quotes

  • "A daring and remarkable novel, a novel that not only opens a frightening window on the mysterious kingdom of North Korea, but one that also excavates the very meaning of love and sacrifice."
    Source: Michiko Kakutani (review in The New York Times) (2012)

Trivia

  • Enrolled member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.
  • Professor of creative writing at Stanford University and founder of the Stanford Graphic Novel Project.
  • Won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for The Orphan Master's Son.
  • Won the 2015 National Book Award for Fiction and the 2016 Story Prize for the collection Fortune Smiles.