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Larry Woiwode

ラリー・ウォイウォード

Rarī Woiwōdo

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1941-10-30 （Carrington, North Dakota, U.S.）
Died
2022-04-28 （Bismarck, North Dakota, U.S.） age 80
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Carrington, North Dakota → New York state (residence/work) → Chicago area (several years) → Near Mott, North Dakota (rural residence) → Bismarck, North Dakota (later life)

Career

Occupations
novelist, poet, professor
Active Years
1969-2022
Affiliations
Binghamton University (Director, Creative Writing Program; tenured professor), University of Wisconsin–Madison (Writer in Residence), Wheaton College (summer instructor), University of Jamestown (faculty), University of Mary (Writer in Residence, Bismarck)
Influenced By
John Gardner (colleague/influence), John Frederick Nims (mentor, poetry)

Education

University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign
Period: 約4年半（在学）
Country: United States
Attended for four and a half years; sources do not clearly state a degree conferred

Awards

William Faulkner Foundation Award (best first novel)
1970
Work: What I'm Going to Do, I Think
Organization: William Faulkner Foundation
Result: winner
Guggenheim Fellowship
1971
Organization: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result: fellowship
American Academy of Arts and Letters — Arts and Letters Award
1980
Organization: American Academy of Arts and Letters
Result: winner
American Academy of Arts and Letters — Award of Merit Medal
1995
Organization: American Academy of Arts and Letters
Result: winner
John Dos Passos Prize for Literature
1990
Organization: John Dos Passos Prize (Longwood University)
Result: winner
Aga Khan Prize for Fiction
1990
Organization: The Paris Review (Aga Khan Prize)
Result: winner
Lannan Literary Fellowship for Fiction
2002
Organization: Lannan Foundation
Result: fellowship
Theodore Roosevelt Rough Rider Award
1992
Organization: Office of the Governor of North Dakota (Rough Rider Award)
Result: winner
National Book Award (finalist)
1975
Work: Beyond the Bedroom Wall
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: finalist
National Book Critics Circle Award (finalist)
1975
Work: Beyond the Bedroom Wall
Organization: National Book Critics Circle
Result: finalist

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

What I'm Going to Do, I Think

1969 Novel

Debut novel; a realistic portrait of youth and interior life that received critical acclaim on publication.

coming of ageinterior lifeMidwestern life

Beyond the Bedroom Wall

1975 Novel

A novel intended to suggest a larger world of interest beyond sexual themes prevalent at the time; sold over one million copies and was widely praised.

familyfaithMidwestern community

Poppa John

1981 Novel

A family- and personal-history-centered novel, reflecting Woiwode's recurring Midwestern settings and concerns.

family historymemoryMidwest

Born Brothers

1988 Novel

Explores brotherhood and familial conflict; reflects Woiwode's social and religious interests.

brotherhoodconflictmorality

Indian Affairs

1992 Novel

A novel from the early 1990s; the title and context suggest engagement with Native American or regional social issues.

communityhistorycultural tensions

Even Tide

1977 Poetry

A collection of poems reflecting Woiwode's poetic concerns and style.

naturefaitheveryday observation

Neumiller Stories

1989 Short story collection

A collection of short stories by Woiwode.

everyday lifehuman relationships

Silent Passengers

1993 Short story collection

A 1990s short story collection exploring varied characters and situations.

lonelinessmovementmemory

Aristocrat of the West: The Story of Harold Schafer

2000 Biography

Biography of entrepreneur Harold Schafer; a nonfiction work by Woiwode.

business historybiography

What I Think I Did: A Season of Survival in Two Acts

2000 Memoir/essays

A memoir containing autobiographical reflections on life and writing.

memoirsurvivalcreative life

A Step From Death

2008 Memoir/essays

A later memoir/essay collection; widely reviewed.

agingmemoryfaith

Bibliography

  • What I'm Going to Do, I Think (1969)
  • Beyond the Bedroom Wall (1975)
  • Poppa John (1981)
  • Born Brothers (1988)
  • Indian Affairs (1992)
  • Even Tide (1977)
  • Neumiller Stories (1989)
  • Silent Passengers (1993)
  • Aristocrat of the West: The Story of Harold Schafer (2000)
  • What I Think I Did: A Season of Survival in Two Acts (2000)
  • A Step From Death (2008)
  • Words Made Fresh: Essays on Literature and Culture (2011)
  • The Invention of Lefse (2011)
  • Words for Readers and Writers (2013)
  • The Dignity of Grace: A Life of Sister Thomas Welder (2021)
  • A Legacy of Passion: The Scheel Family Story (2022)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
realistic, detailed character-driven prosemeasured narration reflecting moral and religious concerns
Recurring Motifs
familyfaith/religionMidwestern rural landscapemoral choices

Health

  • 晩年（死去時は短い病気の後）
    Suffered a short illness prior to death in 2022. No public record of chronic conditions was identified.

Legacy

Served as Poet Laureate of North Dakota (1995–2022). Known for works focusing on family, faith, and the Midwest; recipient of multiple literary awards and fellowships and noted by major outlets including The New York Times Book Review.

Academic Societies

  • American Academy of Arts and Letters (honoree/awardee)

Trivia

  • Served as Poet Laureate of North Dakota from 1995 until his death in 2022.
  • Beyond the Bedroom Wall sold over one million copies and was a finalist for both the National Book Award and the National Book Critics Circle Award.
  • Debut novel What I'm Going to Do, I Think won the William Faulkner Foundation Award (best first novel) in 1970.
  • Served as director of the Creative Writing Program at Binghamton University and was a tenured professor there.
  • Received a Lannan Literary Fellowship for Fiction in 2002.