John Dos Passos Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 30 (2011) Winner
Mat Johnson
マット・ジョンソン
Mat Johnson
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1970-08-19 （Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. (Germantown / Mount Airy neighborhoods)）
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
Career
- Occupations
- Fiction writer, Comics writer, Professor
- Active Years
- 1993-
- Affiliations
- Rutgers University, Columbia University, Bard College, University of Houston, University of Oregon
- Influenced By
- James Baldwin, Richard Wright, Zora Neale Hurston
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greene Street Friends School | — | — | — | — | United States |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania | — | — | — | — | United States |
| Earlham College | — | — | BA | — | United States |
| Columbia University School of the Arts | — | — | MFA | — | United States |
| University of Wales, Swansea | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
Greene Street Friends School
Country:
United States
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Country:
United States
Attended; specific degree information not confirmed
Earlham College
Degree:
BA
Year of Graduation:
1993
Country:
United States
Received B.A.
Columbia University School of the Arts
Degree:
MFA
Year of Graduation:
1999
Country:
United States
Completed MFA
University of Wales, Swansea
Country:
United Kingdom
Studied abroad; details not specified
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004 | Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Novel) | Hunting in Harlem | 小説 | Hurston/Wright Foundation | 受賞 |
| 2007 | USA James Baldwin Fellow | — | — | United States Artists | フェローシップ（$50,000 助成） |
| 2011 | Dos Passos Prize | — | — | Dos Passos Prize organizers | 受賞（作品体を対象） |
—
Hurston/Wright Legacy Award (Novel)
2004
Work:
Hunting in Harlem
Category:
小説
Organization:
Hurston/Wright Foundation
Result:
受賞
USA James Baldwin Fellow
2007
Organization:
United States Artists
Result:
フェローシップ（$50,000 助成）
Dos Passos Prize
2011
Organization:
Dos Passos Prize organizers
Result:
受賞（作品体を対象）
Awards & Nominations
American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 37 (2016) Winner
Works
Major Works
Drop
2000 Coming-of-age novel (Bildungsroman) 240 pagesA coming-of-age novel about a young Philadelphian who seeks escape and identity while working at an advertising agency in London.
identityself-hatredurban life
Hunting in Harlem
2003 Satire 256 pagesA satirical exploration of gentrification in Harlem and the tensions between belief and fanaticism.
race and classurban changereligion and fanaticism
Pym
2011 Satirical novel (postmodern) 320 pagesPym references Melville and tackles American racial assumptions with humor and satire.
racesatire of American societyliterary allusion
Loving Day
2015 Family novel 336 pagesA novel about family and identity centered on a mixed-race protagonist, exploring race and familial bonds.
mixed-race identityfamily relationshipscontemporary urban life
Invisible Things
2022 Short fiction / essays 288 pagesA collection of short fiction and essays examining overlooked subjects and social gaps.
visibilitymarginalitycultural critique
Incognegro
2008 Graphic novel (noir) 160 pagesA noir graphic novel dealing with passing and the history of lynching in the American South.
passingmemory of violencejournalism and justice
Dark Rain: A New Orleans Story
2010 Graphic novel (social) 160 pagesA graphic portrayal of disaster and aftermath in New Orleans.
disaster and recoverycommunitysocial injustice
Right State
2012 Graphic novel (political thriller) 144 pagesA thriller-style graphic work reflecting contemporary American political tensions.
politicsmediapower
Incognegro: Renaissance
2018 Graphic novel 128 pagesA new edition / prequel revisiting the world of Incognegro.
racereinterpretation of history
Backflash
2024 Graphic novel 104 pagesA recent graphic novel release; see publisher for details.
memoryurban narratives
Bibliography
- Drop
- Hunting in Harlem
- The Great Negro Plot
- Incognegro
- Dark Rain: A New Orleans Story
- Pym
- Right State
- Loving Day
- Incognegro: Renaissance
- Invisible Things
- Backflash
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- satirical voicehistorical nonfiction techniquespostmodern allusion
- Recurring Motifs
- race and identitycities and communitiesmemory of history
Legacy
Mat Johnson has been recognized for work across fiction and graphic novels that critically and satirically examine race, identity, and American society. He has taught at several universities and exerts influence in U.S. literary and comics fields.
Trivia
- Born in Philadelphia in 1970; raised in the Germantown and Mount Airy neighborhoods.
- Mother is African-American and father is of Irish Catholic background.
- Won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award in 2004 for Hunting in Harlem.
- Named a USA James Baldwin Fellow in 2007 and received a $50,000 grant from United States Artists.
- Received the Dos Passos Prize in 2011.
- Known both for novels and graphic novels (e.g., Incognegro).