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Deesha Philyaw

ディーシャ・フィリヤウ

Deesha Philyaw

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1971 （Jacksonville, Florida, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Jacksonville, Florida → Pittsburgh area, Pennsylvania → Miami, Florida

Career

Occupations
Author, Columnist, Workshop leader, Public speaker
Active Years
2000-
Influenced By
Toni Morrison, James Baldwin, Nafissa Thompson-Spires, Bassey Ikpi, Tyrese Coleman

Education

Yale University
Bachelor of Arts (BA) / Economics
Degree: BA
Country: United States
Manhattanville College
Master of Arts (MA) / Education
Degree: MA
Country: United States

Awards

Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Fiction)
2020
Work: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Category: フィクション
Organization: Los Angeles Times
Result: winner
PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
2021
Work: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Category: フィクション
Organization: PEN/Faulkner Foundation
Result: winner
The Story Prize
2021
Work: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Organization: The Story Prize
Result: winner
National Book Award for Fiction
2020
Work: The Secret Lives of Church Ladies
Category: フィクション
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: finalist

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce (with Michael D. Thomas)

2013 Non-fiction (Parenting)

A practical guide offering strategies and advice for co-parenting after divorce, co-written with Michael D. Thomas.

co-parentingfamilypractical advice

The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

2020 Short story collection (Fiction) 176 pages

A collection of stories about Black women's desire, faith, love, and family ties. The stories sensitively and candidly explore tensions between religion, sexuality, and identity.

faith and religionBlack women's experiencesdesire and sexualitymotherhood
Adaptations
  • [Television (Drama)] The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (TV adaptation)

Bibliography

  • Co-Parenting 101: Helping Your Kids Thrive in Two Households After Divorce (with Michael D. Thomas)
  • The Secret Lives of Church Ladies

Adaptations

  • Television adaptation of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (HBO Max; Deesha Philyaw and Tessa Thompson as executive producers)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
candid and emotionally rich voicedeep psychological characterizationlyrical yet direct prose
Recurring Motifs
church and faithBlack women's desire and repressionfamily and motherhoodcommunity and belonging

Legacy

Philyaw's debut short story collection brought her wide critical acclaim and amplified the voices of Black women in contemporary American literature. With multiple major awards and a television adaptation in development, she has had influence in both literary circles and popular culture.

In Popular Culture

  • Television adaptation of The Secret Lives of Church Ladies (HBO Max)

Quotes

  • “Juicy goodness bursts from every page of Deesha Philyaw's debut short story collection. . . . This collection marks the emergence of a bona fide literary treasure.”
    Source: Marion Winik, review in the Star Tribune (2020)

Trivia

  • Official website: https://www.deeshaphilyaw.com/
  • Her debut short story collection won several major awards
  • TV adaptation for HBO Max announced with actress Tessa Thompson involved in production