Aga Khan Prize for Fiction
1 appearances
-
Edition 7 (1973) Winner
Paul Noden West
ポール・ノーデン・ウェスト
Paul Noden West
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1930-02-23 （Eckington, Derbyshire, England）
- Died
- 2015-10-18 （Ithaca, New York, U.S.） age 85
- Nationality
- British, American
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Eckington, Derbyshire (birth) → Newfoundland (taught at Memorial University) → Pennsylvania (taught at Pennsylvania State University) → Ithaca, New York (late residence)
Career
- Occupations
- novelist, poet, essayist, professor, author
- Active Years
- 1952-2015
- Influenced By
- Jean-Paul Sartre, William Shakespeare, Thomas De Quincey, Samuel Beckett, T. S. Eliot, Carl Sagan
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Birmingham | — | English | BA (優等) | — | United Kingdom |
| Lincoln College, Oxford | — | — | — | — | United Kingdom |
| Columbia University | — | — | 修士（Smith–Mundt 奨学金） | 1952–1953 | United States |
University of Birmingham
English
Degree:
BA (優等)
Country:
United Kingdom
Graduated with honours in English
Lincoln College, Oxford
Country:
United Kingdom
Attended; degree information uncertain
Columbia University
Degree:
修士（Smith–Mundt 奨学金）
Period:
1952–1953
Year of Graduation:
1953
Country:
United States
Studied as a Smith–Mundt scholar and earned a master's degree
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985 | American Academy of Arts and Letters award for literature | — | — | American Academy of Arts and Letters | 受賞 |
| 1993 | Lannan Prize for fiction | — | — | Lannan Foundation | 受賞 |
| 1993 | Grand-Prix Halpèrine-Kaminsky Prize (best foreign book) | — | — | Grand-Prix Halpèrine-Kaminsky committee | 受賞 |
| — | New York Public Library 'literary lion' | — | — | New York Public Library | 称号授与 |
| — | Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres | — | — | French government | 叙勲（シュヴァリエ） |
American Academy of Arts and Letters award for literature
1985
Organization:
American Academy of Arts and Letters
Result:
受賞
Lannan Prize for fiction
1993
Organization:
Lannan Foundation
Result:
受賞
Grand-Prix Halpèrine-Kaminsky Prize (best foreign book)
1993
Organization:
Grand-Prix Halpèrine-Kaminsky committee
Result:
受賞
New York Public Library 'literary lion'
Organization:
New York Public Library
Result:
称号授与
Chevalier of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
Organization:
French government
Result:
叙勲（シュヴァリエ）
Awards & Nominations
Lannan Literary Awards
7 appearances
Works
Major Works
The Very Rich Hours of Count von Stauffenberg
1980 NovelA novel treating historical events from World War II including vivid descriptions of torture and executions; prominently discussed in J. M. Coetzee's Elizabeth Costello.
historyviolencewitness and silence
The Universe and Other Fictions
1988 Short fiction/essaysA collection of short fictions and essays expressing amazement at the abundance of the universe; blends scientific interest with imagination.
the universeimaginationintersection of science and literature
Out of My Depths: A Swimmer in the Universe
1983 Memoir/essaysA memoir/essay collection including his experience learning to swim in middle age, combining personal narrative with philosophical and cosmic reflections.
self-discoverybody and craftimagination
Lord Byron's Doctor
1989 Historical novelA novel centered on figures and events associated with Lord Byron; mixes biographical elements with fiction.
biographical materialhistory and fiction
The Immensity of the Here and Now: A Novel of 9.11
2003 NovelA novel engaging with the events of 9/11 and exploring themes of existence, language, and memory.
memorylanguagecontemporary history
Bibliography
- Poems (1952)
- A Quality of Mercy (1961)
- The Very Rich Hours of Count von Stauffenberg (1980)
- The Universe and Other Fictions (1988)
- Out of My Depths: A Swimmer in the Universe (1983)
- The Immensity of the Here and Now: A Novel of 9.11 (2003)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- flamboyant, exuberant proseemphasis on imagination over conventionrejection of minimalist tendencies
- Recurring Motifs
- mutability of realitywonder at the universe and existencemusicality and rhythm in prose
Health
-
stroke (multiple)2003（少なくとも2回目の脳卒中）以降Affected language ability; his stroke and recovery are documented by his wife in her book 'One Hundred Names for Love'.
-
pneumonia (cause of death)2015（死去時）Died in October 2015 from pneumonia.
Legacy
Paul West was a prolific and versatile writer of more than 50 books, lauded for his flamboyant, imaginative prose and erudition. He occupied a distinctive place in contemporary English-language literature and received multiple honors, including literary awards and a French order of arts recognition.
Academic Societies
- American Academy of Arts and Letters (award-related)
Quotes
-
Sometimes I think I am playing the piano, which I cannot do, but I hear rhythms in my tapping and sometimes, Glenn Gould-like, I chant as I go to remind myself what's coming in the next few lines.
Source: Interview with David W. Madden / recollection (1991)
Trivia
- British-born writer who later worked in the United States as novelist, poet and essayist.
- Married to writer and naturalist Diane Ackerman.
- Served in the Royal Air Force from 1954 to 1957 and reached the rank of flight lieutenant.
- Taught at Memorial University of Newfoundland and Pennsylvania State University.
- Authored more than 50 books in his lifetime.
- Suffered a stroke in 2003; his recovery is documented by his wife Diane Ackerman.