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Ladee Hubbard

レイディー・ハバード

Reidī Habādo

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1970-03-27 （Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Childhood periods in Saint Thomas / Saint John, U.S. Virgin Islands → Summers in Florida with grandparents → Resident of New Orleans since 2003

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Short story writer, Professor
Active Years
1990-
Affiliations
Tulane University (faculty)
Influenced By
W. E. B. Du Bois (idea of the 'talented tenth')

Education

Princeton University
Degree: Bachelor's degree
Country: United States
Bachelor's degree (major not specified)
University of Wisconsin–Madison
Creative Writing
Degree: MFA
Country: United States
MFA in creative writing
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Folklore and Mythology
Degree: PhD
Country: United States
PhD in Folklore and Mythology

Awards

Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Award
2016
Organization: Rona Jaffe Foundation
Result: Winner
Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence
2018
Work: The Talented Ribkins
Organization: The Ernest J. Gaines Center
Result: Winner
Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Debut Fiction)
Work: The Talented Ribkins
Category: Debut Fiction
Organization: Hurston/Wright Foundation
Result: Winner
Berlin Prize
Organization: American Academy in Berlin
Result: Fellow
Radcliffe Institute Fellowship
Organization: Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study
Result: Fellow

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Talented Ribkins

2017 Novel (magical realism/literary fiction)

A novel about a family with unusual powers. Protagonist Johnny Ripkins can draw a map of any place regardless of firsthand knowledge; themes include debt and paying what one owes, family, identity, Black culture, and interpretations of the idea of the 'talented tenth.'

familydebt and repaymentBlack culturemagical elementsidentity

The Rib King

2021 Novel (historical fiction/revenge story)

A prequel to her debut, set in an early 20th-century fictional city inspired by Chicago. Follows Mr. Sitwell, a Black groundskeeper, and explores race, inequality, the Black middle class, and unpunished violence.

race and inequalityrevengehistorical memorycultural appropriation/exploitation

The Last Suspicious Holdout

2022 Short story collection

A collection of short stories set in the 1990s to early 2000s, primarily in a Black suburb. Explores life in the post–civil rights era, intertwined personal and political traumas, resilience and artistry in the Black community.

community resilienceintersections of personal and politicalsuburban life

Bibliography

  • The Talented Ribkins
  • The Rib King
  • The Last Suspicious Holdout

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Prose infused with folklore and mythological elementsBlending of magical realism and social realismDelicate, character-centered psychological depiction
Recurring Motifs
family bondsfood (sauce / barbecue)debt and repaymentmaps and knowledge of placeBlack experiences in the post–civil rights era

Legacy

Critically acclaimed novelist who won multiple awards for her debut. Known for combining folklore with contemporary social issues; as a professor at Tulane University she has influenced emerging writers and contributed to conversations in contemporary Black American literature.

Quotes

  • One motivating factor for the story was "debt and paying back what you owe."
    Source: The Guardian (interview, 2017) (2017)

Trivia

  • Website: ladeehubbard.com
  • Spent part of childhood in the U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Resident of New Orleans since 2003
  • Debut novel The Talented Ribkins won multiple literary awards