PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 16 (2006) Winner
Eric Gansworth
エリック・ガンスワース
Erikku Gansuwāsu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1965-01-01 （Tuscarora Nation, New York, U.S.）
- Nationality
- Onondaga Nation, United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Tuscarora Nation, New York → Buffalo area, New York
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, poet, visual artist, professor
- Active Years
- 1998-
- Affiliations
- Canisius College (Professor, Lowery Writer-in-Residence)
- Influenced By
- Native American writers such as Gerald Vizenor
- Influenced
- Contemporary Indigenous writers and YA authors
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscarora Indian School | — | — | — | — | United States |
| Niagara County Community College | — | — | — | — | United States |
| State University College at Buffalo | — | — | — | — | United States |
Tuscarora Indian School
Country:
United States
Niagara County Community College
Country:
United States
State University College at Buffalo
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | American Book Award | Extra Indians | — | Before Columbus Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2006 | PEN Oakland–Josephine Miles National Literary Award | Mending Skins | — | PEN Oakland | 受賞 |
| 2021 | Michael L. Printz Honor | Apple (Skin to the Core) | — | American Library Association (ALA) | 受賞（オナーメンション） |
American Book Award
2011
Work:
Extra Indians
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
受賞
PEN Oakland–Josephine Miles National Literary Award
2006
Work:
Mending Skins
Organization:
PEN Oakland
Result:
受賞
Michael L. Printz Honor
2021
Work:
Apple (Skin to the Core)
Organization:
American Library Association (ALA)
Result:
受賞（オナーメンション）
Awards & Nominations
American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 32 (2011) Winner
Works
Major Works
Mending Skins
2005 Native American literature / novelFiction that explores community, loss, and survivance among Native peoples, blending humor and pathos.
survivanceloss and renewalNative community life
Extra Indians
2010 Native American literature / novelA novel examining the intersection of contemporary culture and tradition from Indigenous perspectives, emphasizing how history informs the present.
history informing the presentcultural identityinfluence of popular culture
If I Ever Get Out of Here
2013 Young adult / novelA YA novel about the friendship between a boy from the Tuscarora Nation and a boy living on a nearby Air Force base, praised for avoiding stereotypes and creating authentic characters.
friendshipcross-cultural encountercoming of age
Apple (Skin to the Core)
2020 Nonfiction / memoir, young adultA memoir-like work exploring family history and identity, intertwining ethnicity and personal narrative.
identityIndigenous memoryfamily history
Bibliography
- Indian Summers (1998)
- Smoke Dancing (2004)
- Mending Skins (2005)
- Extra Indians (2010)
- If I Ever Get Out of Here (2013)
- Give Me Some Truth (2018)
- Apple (Skin to the Core) (2020)
- Nickel Eclipse: Iroquois Moon (2000)
- Breathing the Monster Alive (2006)
- A Half-Life of Cardio-Pulmonary Function: Poems and Paintings (2008)
- From the Western Door to the Lower West Side (2009)
- Sovereign Bones: New Native American Writing (editor, 2007)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- integration of illustrations and visual elements into proseblend of humor and poignancyconversational, accessible narration
- Recurring Motifs
- how history informs the presentsurvivancereferences to popular/entertainment culturedaily life on the reservation/community
Legacy
Eric Gansworth is regarded as an important writer and visual artist depicting contemporary Haudenosaunee culture and Indigenous experience. His use of illustrations and interdisciplinary approach has influenced both YA and adult literature and contemporary Indigenous artistic expression.
In Popular Culture
- His artwork and writings are cited in discussions of Indigenous representation and in educational contexts.
Quotes
-
Growing up I was struck by an absence of images of contemporary Native American life to use as drawing practice. I could offer images from Planet of the Apes, The Towering Inferno, Spiderman and, of course, Batman, but I had a critical shortage of Indian drawings.
Source: Interview (Amerinda / Q&A)
Trivia
- Frequently integrates his own drawings and illustrations into his books.
- If I Ever Get Out of Here received critical acclaim in the YA category.
- Enrolled citizen of the Onondaga Nation and grew up in the Tuscarora community.