Lannan Literary Awards
3 appearances
Alexander Louis Theroux
アレクサンダー・セロイス・テロー
Alexander Louis Theroux
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1939-01-01 （Medford, Massachusetts, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Catholic
- Residence History
- Medford, Massachusetts, U.S. → London, England → Estonia → France
Career
- Occupations
- author, poet, academic
- Active Years
- 1972-
- Affiliations
- University of Virginia (faculty), Harvard University (Brigg-Copeland Lecturer), Phillips Academy (writer-in-residence), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (faculty), Yale University (faculty)
- Memberships
- Raven Society, Society of the Purple Shadows
- Nominations
- National Book Award nominee (twice)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Francis College | — | — | B.A. | 1960s | United States |
| University of Virginia | — | English Literature | M.A. | 1964–1965 | United States |
| University of Virginia | — | English Literature | Ph.D. | 1965–1968 | United States |
St. Francis College
Degree:
B.A.
Period:
1960s
Year of Graduation:
1964
Country:
United States
University of Virginia
English Literature
Degree:
M.A.
Period:
1964–1965
Year of Graduation:
1965
Country:
United States
Won the Schubert Playwrighting Fellowship in 1967
University of Virginia
English Literature
Degree:
Ph.D.
Period:
1965–1968
Year of Graduation:
1968
Country:
United States
Member of the Raven Society during studies
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Schubert Playwrighting Award | — | — | University of Virginia | winner |
| 1969 | Fulbright Grant | — | — | Fulbright Program | award |
| 1974 | Guggenheim Fellowship | — | — | John S. Guggenheim Memorial Foundation | fellowship |
| 1991 | Lannan Literary Award | — | フィクション | Lannan Foundation | winner |
| 2002 | Clifton Fadiman Medal | — | フィクション | Mercantile Library / Center for Fiction | winner |
| 2001 | Firecracker Alternative Book Award | The Strange Case of Edward Gorey | ノンフィクション | Firecracker Awards | winner |
Schubert Playwrighting Award
1967
Organization:
University of Virginia
Result:
winner
Fulbright Grant
1969
Organization:
Fulbright Program
Result:
award
Guggenheim Fellowship
1974
Organization:
John S. Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result:
fellowship
Lannan Literary Award
1991
Category:
フィクション
Organization:
Lannan Foundation
Result:
winner
Clifton Fadiman Medal
2002
Category:
フィクション
Organization:
Mercantile Library / Center for Fiction
Result:
winner
Firecracker Alternative Book Award
2001
Work:
The Strange Case of Edward Gorey
Category:
ノンフィクション
Organization:
Firecracker Awards
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Three Wogs
1972 NovelTheroux's first novel, written during a stay in London; an early example of his distinctive style.
stylistic experimentationsatire
Darconville's Cat
1981 Novel (long)Theroux's major work, known for its encyclopedic allusions and elaborate prose; praised by Anthony Burgess and Larry McCaffery.
eruditionwordplayvengeance
An Adultery
1987 NovelA 1987 novel demonstrating Theroux's satirical and intellectual prose.
adulteryethicsirony
Laura Warholic or, The Sexual Intellectual
2007 Novel (satire)One of his longest and most satirical novels, sharply critiquing American culture and intellectual circles.
satirecultural criticismsatire of intellectuals
The Primary Colors
1994 Non-fiction (color theory)An essayistic study on color, notable for wide-ranging citations; some passages were later noted to be similar to earlier work, prompting controversy.
color theoryart criticism
The Secondary Colors
1996 Non-fiction (color theory)A follow-up to The Primary Colors, essays on art and color.
colorart
Bibliography
- Three Wogs (1972)
- Darconville's Cat (1981)
- An Adultery (1987)
- Master Snickup's Cloak (1979)
- The Primary Colors (1994)
- The Secondary Colors (1996)
- The Strange Case of Edward Gorey (1999, rev. 2011)
- Laura Warholic (2007)
- Other works (poetry, short fiction, essays)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- encyclopedic, allusive eruditiondense and elaborate proselearned wit and ironic voice
- Recurring Motifs
- wordplaythemes of vengeance and resentmentreferences to learning and erudition
Legacy
Alexander Theroux is known for his encyclopedic allusiveness and elaborate prose; critics have sometimes called him an "overlooked modern master." Darconville's Cat is frequently cited as a major long novel, admired by several notable critics while often regarded as challenging for general readers.
Academic Societies
- Raven Society
- Society of the Purple Shadows
Archives
- Harry Ransom Center (archives)
In Popular Culture
- Anthony Burgess's selection of Darconville's Cat for his list of notable novels
- Positive endorsement by Larry McCaffery
Quotes
-
Defending his prose, Theroux once likened it to 'a Victorian attic.' He delivers more inner life than outer, more desire for vengeance than for anything else, and more sheer stuff per page—stuff you don't expect—than in any other novels.
Source: Colin Marshall (critic), commentary (2010) -
Perhaps he sees his finely-wrought works of language and their lack of purchase on the culture as an apocalyptic indictment of that culture... Were I him, I feel as if I'd want revenge: against lazy readers, against unengaged critics, against risk-averse publishers.
Source: Michael Silverblatt (radio interview) (1992)
Trivia
- Brother of novelist Paul Theroux and translator/writer Peter Theroux; uncle of Louis Theroux, Marcel Theroux and Justin Theroux.
- In 1995 some passages in The Primary Colors were noted to be similar to a 1954 book; Theroux attributed this to bad note-taking and responded publicly.
- Darconville's Cat received recognition from critics including Anthony Burgess and Larry McCaffery.