Oregon Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 18 (2004) Winner
Karen Karbo
カレン・カーボ
Karen Karbo
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Whittier, California (grew up) → Los Angeles, California (resided) → Portland, Oregon (resided) → South of France (current residence)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, non-fiction writer, journalist, essayist, children's author
- Active Years
- 1989-
- Influenced By
- George Plimpton, Bob Shacochis, Janet Burroway
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Southern California | College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (English) | English | 学士（BA） | — | United States |
University of Southern California
College of Letters, Arts and Sciences (English)
/ English
Degree:
学士（BA）
Country:
United States
Initially studied journalism and physical therapy; later pursued graduate film studies. The death of her mother influenced her writing.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Oregon Book Award (creative nonfiction) | The Stuff of Life: A Daughter's Memoir | 創造的ノンフィクション | Oregon Literary Arts | winner |
| 1989 | General Electric Younger Writer Award | — | — | General Electric | winner |
| 1992 | National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (fiction) | — | — | National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) | fellowship |
| 1992 | Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship (fiction) | — | — | Oregon Literary Arts | fellowship |
| 2015 | Amtrak Writing Residency | — | — | Amtrak | selected |
Oregon Book Award (creative nonfiction)
2005
Work:
The Stuff of Life: A Daughter's Memoir
Category:
創造的ノンフィクション
Organization:
Oregon Literary Arts
Result:
winner
General Electric Younger Writer Award
1989
Organization:
General Electric
Result:
winner
National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (fiction)
1992
Organization:
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Result:
fellowship
Oregon Literary Arts Fellowship (fiction)
1992
Organization:
Oregon Literary Arts
Result:
fellowship
Amtrak Writing Residency
2015
Organization:
Amtrak
Result:
selected
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Trespassers Welcome Here
1990 fiction (comic novel)Set in a university Slavic languages department, it follows a quartet of Russian émigré teaching assistants and a famous author/teacher; a comic exploration of transplanted Soviet psyche and possibilities.
immigrant adaptationidentityhumor
The Diamond Lane
1991 fiction (tragicomic)Centers on two sisters juggling troubled but comical love lives and contrasting dreams of success; a satirical look at Hollywood and marriage.
sisterhoodmarriage and careersatire
Motherhood Made a Man Out Of Me
2000 fiction (domestic comedy)Through intertwined plots involving a married couple with a newborn and their circle, it examines contradictory emotional states of new motherhood.
motherhooddomestic conflicthumor and pathos
Generation Ex: Tales From The Second Wives Club
2001 non-fiction (essays)A smart, ruefully funny examination of divorced life mixing statistics, anecdotes, and personal insight.
divorce and remarriagefamily reconfiguration
The Stuff of Life: A Daughter's Memoir
2004 non-fiction (memoir)A memoir detailing Karbo's experience caring for her stoic father in his final year, juggling work and family responsibilities, with wrenching sadness and humor.
caregivingfamily and losshumor and sorrow
Minerva Clark Gets a Clue
2005 children's mysteryFirst in a children's mystery series about 13-year-old Minerva Clark, who, after an electrocution, loses self-consciousness and becomes a fearless sleuth.
coming-of-ageidentityadventure
Minerva Clark Goes To The Dogs
2006 children's mysterySecond in the series; Minerva helps a classmate locate a rare red diamond stolen from her ring.
friendshipmystery-solving
Minerva Clark Gives Up The Ghost
2007 children's mysteryThird in the series; Minerva looks for the missing ghost of a haunted grocery store victimized by arson.
ghostscourage
How to Hepburn
2007 non-fiction (biographical self-help)A short biographical/self-help book that chronicles Katharine Hepburn's life and extracts practical life lessons and habits.
self-helpfemale independence
The Gospel According to Coco Chanel
2009 non-fiction (biography)A chatty, insightful look at Coco Chanel's self-invention, her relationship to work, money, love, and her impact on modern life.
self-inventionfashion and power
How Georgia Became O’Keeffe
2011 non-fiction (biographical essay)Organized around thematic chapters, it explores Georgia O'Keeffe's life, work, and complex relationship with Alfred Stieglitz.
artist independencecreativity and defiance
Julia Child Rules
2013 non-fiction (biographical essay)Parses aspects of Julia Child's personality and early struggles, finding lessons in her work ethic and passion.
work ethicself-assurance
In Praise of Difficult Women
2018 non-fiction (biographical profiles / feminism)Twenty-nine profiles of women labeled 'difficult,' reassessing their resistance to convention and highlighting lessons for modern readers.
feminismdisruptive self-expressionreappraisal of history
Yeah, No. Not Happening
2020 non-fiction (essays / self-care)Blends personal stories of dieting and anxiety with a feminist guide advocating self-care and embracing imperfection.
self-careanti-perfectionismpressures on women
Bibliography
- Yeah, No. Not Happening (2020)
- In Praise of Difficult Women (2018)
- Julia Child Rules (2013)
- How Georgia Became O’Keeffe (2011)
- The Gospel According to Coco Chanel (2009)
- The Stuff of Life: A Daughter's Memoir (2004)
- Generation Ex: Tales From The Second Wives Club (2001)
- Motherhood Made a Man Out Of Me (2000)
- The Diamond Lane (1991)
- Trespassers Welcome Here (1990)
- Minerva Clark Gets a Clue (2005)
- Minerva Clark Goes To The Dogs (2006)
- Minerva Clark Gives Up The Ghost (2007)
- How to Hepburn (2007)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- humorous, conversational prosefusion of biographical essay and self-helpparticipatory journalism techniques
- Recurring Motifs
- female independence and defiancemotherhood and domestic complexityrediscovery of identitysharp observations delivered with humor
Legacy
Karen Karbo is recognized for witty, sharply observed writing about women's lives. Her concise biographical essays and self-help–inflected books have influenced contemporary feminist readers and earned literary awards and fellowships.
In Popular Culture
- Featured on multiple podcasts and author interview programs discussing her books
- 'In Praise of Difficult Women' is cited in contemporary feminist discussions
Quotes
-
Praised for their "laugh-aloud, zinging, elbow-in-the-side wit," (Janet Burroway)
Source: The New York Times (Janet Burroway, 2003) (2003)
Trivia
- Known to keep a pet ferret
- Worked as a papergirl, dog groomer, and agent's assistant earlier in life
- The Minerva Clark series was begun to entertain her daughter
- Has undertaken participatory journalism assignments (e.g., shark handling with PADI certification)
- Her daughter's name is Fiona