Whiting Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 3 (1987) Winner
Alice McDermott
アリス・マクダーモット
Alice McDermott
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1953-06-27 （Brooklyn, New York, U.S.）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Catholic
- Residence History
- Brooklyn, New York → Suburban Washington, D.C.
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Essayist, University professor
- Active Years
- 1982-
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (Richard A. Macksey Professor of the Humanities), University of California, San Diego, American University, Sewanee Writers' Conference (faculty)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| State University of New York at Oswego | — | — | BA | 1971–1975 | United States |
| University of New Hampshire | — | — | MA | 1976–1978 | United States |
State University of New York at Oswego
Degree:
BA
Period:
1971–1975
Year of Graduation:
1975
Country:
United States
University of New Hampshire
Degree:
MA
Period:
1976–1978
Year of Graduation:
1978
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | National Book Award (Fiction) | Charming Billy | Fiction | National Book Foundation | Won |
| 1999 | American Book Award | Charming Billy | — | Before Columbus Foundation | Won |
| 1992 | Pulitzer Prize (Fiction) | At Weddings and Wakes | Fiction | Pulitzer Prize Board | Finalist |
| 2006 | Pulitzer Prize (Fiction) | After This | Fiction | Pulitzer Prize Board | Finalist |
| 1987 | Whiting Award | — | — | Whiting Foundation | Won |
| 2018 | Prix Femina étranger | The Ninth Hour | — | Prix Femina (France) | Won |
| 2024 | Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award | Absolution | — | Mark Twain House & Museum / Award committee | Won |
| 2024 | PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction | Absolution | — | PEN/Faulkner Foundation | Finalist |
National Book Award (Fiction)
1998
Work:
Charming Billy
Category:
Fiction
Organization:
National Book Foundation
Result:
Won
American Book Award
1999
Work:
Charming Billy
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
Won
Pulitzer Prize (Fiction)
1992
Work:
At Weddings and Wakes
Category:
Fiction
Organization:
Pulitzer Prize Board
Result:
Finalist
Pulitzer Prize (Fiction)
2006
Work:
After This
Category:
Fiction
Organization:
Pulitzer Prize Board
Result:
Finalist
Whiting Award
1987
Organization:
Whiting Foundation
Result:
Won
Prix Femina étranger
2018
Work:
The Ninth Hour
Organization:
Prix Femina (France)
Result:
Won
Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award
2024
Work:
Absolution
Organization:
Mark Twain House & Museum / Award committee
Result:
Won
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
2024
Work:
Absolution
Organization:
PEN/Faulkner Foundation
Result:
Finalist
Awards & Nominations
American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 20 (1999) Winner
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
1 appearances
-
Edition 44 (2024) Nominee
Works
Major Works
A Bigamist's Daughter
1982 Literary fictionAn early novel exploring family and identity, focusing on familial relationships and personal growth.
familyidentity
That Night
1987 Literary fictionCenters on events of a single night to tenderly depict coming-of-age, memory, and community.
coming-of-agememorycommunity
At Weddings and Wakes
1992 Literary fictionTracks generations and memory through family milestones such as weddings and wakes.
generationslossfamily
Charming Billy
1998 Literary fictionA recollection of a man's life dealing with alcoholism, love, and memory. Winner of the National Book Award.
addictionlovememory
Child of My Heart
2002 Literary fictionA reflective novel about childhood and family relationships.
childhoodnostalgiafamily
After This
2006 Literary fictionFollows a family's history beginning in the 1960s, exploring loss, memory, and familial bonds. Pulitzer finalist.
memorylossfamily history
Someone
2013 Literary fictionDepicts the value of ordinary lives through a postwar Irish-American family.
everyday lifefamilyfaith
The Ninth Hour
2017 Literary fictionAn ensemble story of nuns and immigrant women from the late 19th to 20th century; widely nominated for awards.
religionimmigrationwomen's history
Absolution
2023 Literary fictionA family novel addressing the Vietnam War and questions of conscience. Winner of the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award.
warconsciencefamily
Bibliography
- A Bigamist's Daughter
- That Night
- At Weddings and Wakes
- Charming Billy
- Child of My Heart
- After This
- Someone
- The Ninth Hour
- Absolution
- What About the Baby? (essays)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- quiet, observant narrationlyrical, detail-focused prosecharacter-centered interiority
- Recurring Motifs
- family and intergenerational storiesmemory and nostalgiaCatholic faith and conscience
Legacy
Alice McDermott is an acclaimed American novelist known for her careful portrayals of memory and the emotional depths of ordinary lives. She has won and been shortlisted for major literary awards and has established a significant place in contemporary American letters.
Academic Societies
- American Academy of Arts and Letters (inducted 2024)
Archives
- Library of Congress (related holdings)
Quotes
-
I look for the scary story.
Source: Los Angeles Times (interview, 2023) (2023)
Trivia
- Won the 1998 National Book Award for Charming Billy.
- Multiple-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
- Inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2024.