American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 21 (2000) Winner
Janisse Ray
ジャニス・レイ
Janisse Ray
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1962-02-02 （Baxley, Georgia, United States）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Christianity (raised in a fundamentalist Christian family)
- Residence History
- Baxley, Georgia (birthplace) → Montana (graduate study) → Southern Georgia, Red Earth Farm (residence)
Career
- Occupations
- writer, naturalist, environmental activist, professor
- Active Years
- 1990-
- Affiliations
- Chatham University (Low-Residency MFA program, faculty)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florida State University | — | — | BA | 1980–1984 | United States |
| University of Montana | — | — | MFA | 1995–1997 | United States |
Florida State University
Degree:
BA
Period:
1980–1984
Year of Graduation:
1984
Country:
United States
University of Montana
Degree:
MFA
Period:
1995–1997
Year of Graduation:
1997
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | American Book Award | Ecology of a Cracker Childhood | — | Before Columbus Foundation | winner |
| 1999 | Southern Book Critics Circle Award | Ecology of a Cracker Childhood | — | Southern Book Critics Circle | winner |
| 1999 | Southern Environmental Law Center Award for Outstanding Writing on the Southern environment | Ecology of a Cracker Childhood | — | Southern Environmental Law Center | winner |
American Book Award
1999
Work:
Ecology of a Cracker Childhood
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
winner
Southern Book Critics Circle Award
1999
Work:
Ecology of a Cracker Childhood
Organization:
Southern Book Critics Circle
Result:
winner
Southern Environmental Law Center Award for Outstanding Writing on the Southern environment
1999
Work:
Ecology of a Cracker Childhood
Organization:
Southern Environmental Law Center
Result:
winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Ecology of a Cracker Childhood
1999 memoir / natural historyA memoir interweaving the author's childhood memories and family history with natural history observations of southern Georgia ecosystems (longleaf pine, swamps, etc.), exploring human relationships to land and ecological loss.
natural historyAmerican Southconservationfamily history
Wild Card Quilt: Taking a Chance on Home
2003 memoirA memoir about returning home to Georgia after graduate school, reuniting with family and land; reflections on home and belonging.
returning homesense of placefamily
Between Two Rivers: Stories from the Red Hills to the Gulf
2004 nonfiction (co-editor)A co-edited collection of stories and essays about the region stretching from the Red Hills to the Gulf.
regional historyecosystemscollaborative writing
Pinhook: Finding Wholeness in a Fragmented Land
2005 nonfictionExamines Pinhook Swamp, which links the Okefenokee Swamp and Osceola National Forest, exploring healing and connection in fragmented landscapes.
wetlandsland connectivityconservation
A House of Branches
2010 poetryA poetry collection centered on nature and personal memory.
poetrynaturememory
Drifting into Darien: a Personal and Natural History of the Altamaha River
2011 nonfictionBlends natural history of the Altamaha River with the author's personal experiences, exploring the river's ecological and cultural significance.
riversbiodiversityregional culture
The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food
2012 nonfictionReports and essays on seed saving, the importance of heirloom varieties, and the movement of seed exchange.
seed savingsustainable agriculturefood security
Red Lanterns: Poems
2021 poetryA collection of poems reflecting on nature, memory, and fragments of daily life.
poetrynature observationpersonal recollection
Wild Spectacle: Seeking Wonders in a World beyond Humans
2021 nonfictionAn essay collection seeking wonders beyond human-centered perspectives, reconsidering relationships between humans and other beings.
critique of anthropocentrismecosystem observationwonder
Bibliography
- Ecology of a Cracker Childhood
- Wild Card Quilt: Taking a Chance on Home
- Between Two Rivers: Stories from the Red Hills to the Gulf (co-editor)
- Pinhook: Finding Wholeness in a Fragmented Land
- A House of Branches
- Drifting into Darien: a Personal and Natural History of the Altamaha River
- The Seed Underground: A Growing Revolution to Save Food
- Red Lanterns: Poems
- Wild Spectacle: Seeking Wonders in a World beyond Humans
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- blends natural history observation with personal memoiressayistic and descriptive prose
- Recurring Motifs
- sense of place and landseeds and preservationrivers and wetlandsfamily history
Legacy
Janisse Ray is known for blending memoir and natural history and has influenced conservation efforts in the American South and the seed-saving movement. Through teaching and public lectures she has contributed to environmental awareness.
Trivia
- Lives a simple, sustainable life on Red Earth Farm in southern Georgia.
- An organic gardener and active seed saver.
- Has a son, Silas Ausable.