Drue Heinz Literature Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 13 (1993) Winner
Stewart O'Nan
スチュワート・オーナン
Sutyuwaato O'nan
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1961-02-04 （Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.）
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Pittsburgh (birth) → Boston (studies) → Long Island (work) → Ithaca (graduate school) → Edmond, Oklahoma (residence/teaching) → Avon, Connecticut (residence) → Hartford, Connecticut (work)
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Writer, Screenwriter, Instructor
- Active Years
- 1993-
- Affiliations
- Trinity College (Hartford) - writer-in-residence, instructor, University of Central Oklahoma - instructor, University of New Mexico - instructor
- Influenced By
- Stephen King (collaborator/influence), John Gardner (editorial/critical influence)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boston University | College of Engineering | Aerospace Engineering | BS | 1979–1983 | United States |
| Cornell University | — | Creative Writing (MFA) | MFA | 1990–1992 | United States |
Boston University
College of Engineering
/ Aerospace Engineering
Degree:
BS
Period:
1979–1983
Year of Graduation:
1983
Country:
United States
Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering
Cornell University
Creative Writing (MFA)
Degree:
MFA
Period:
1990–1992
Year of Graduation:
1992
Country:
United States
Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Drue Heinz Literature Prize | In the Walled City | — | University of Pittsburgh Press | 受賞 |
| 1993 | Pirate's Alley Faulkner Prize for the Novel | Snow Angels | — | Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society | 受賞 |
| 1996 | Granta: Best of Young American Novelists | — | — | Granta | 選出 |
Drue Heinz Literature Prize
1993
Work:
In the Walled City
Organization:
University of Pittsburgh Press
Result:
受賞
Pirate's Alley Faulkner Prize for the Novel
1993
Work:
Snow Angels
Organization:
Pirate's Alley Faulkner Society
Result:
受賞
Granta: Best of Young American Novelists
1996
Organization:
Granta
Result:
選出
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
In the Walled City
1993 Short story collectionA collection of early short stories focusing on detailed character studies set in Midwestern and small-town American life.
Everyday lifeLonelinessFamily relationships
Snow Angels
1994 Novel (literary fiction)A novel set in a small town that explores disappearance, family fracture, and the aftermath of tragedy; developed from an earlier short story.
LossSmall-town claustrophobiaMemory
Adaptations
- [Film] Snow Angels (film) / David Gordon Green (2007)
The Circus Fire
2000 NonfictionA nonfiction account based on interviews with survivors and participants of the Hartford Circus fire, examining the disaster and its aftermath.
DisasterMemory and testimonyCommunity trauma
Last Night at the Lobster
2007 Novel (workplace fiction)A one-night story set in a restaurant facing closure, portraying humor and pathos in daily life and the perspective of workers.
WorkDignity of everyday lifeLoss
West of Sunset
2015 Historical fiction / biographical novelA novel about the last years of F. Scott Fitzgerald, portraying his financial ruin and health struggles after moving to Los Angeles.
Fame and declineCreativity and self-destructionLoneliness
A Prayer for the Dying
1999 Thriller / FictionA thriller that centers on crime and redemption; one of O'Nan's novels slated for film adaptation.
Guilt and redemptionViolenceSalvation
Adaptations
- [Film] A Prayer for the Dying (film) (2024)
Bibliography
- Transmission
- In the Walled City
- Snow Angels
- The Names of the Dead
- The Speed Queen
- A World Away
- A Prayer for the Dying
- Everyday People
- Wish You Were Here
- The Night Country
- The Good Wife
- Last Night at the Lobster
- Songs for the Missing
- Emily, Alone
- The Odds
- A Face in the Crowd (co-written novella)
- West of Sunset
- City of Secrets
- Henry, Himself
- Ocean State
- The Circus Fire
- Faithful (with Stephen King)
- Poe (screenplay)
Adaptations
- Film 'Snow Angels' (2007) - directed by David Gordon Green
- Film adaptation in production 'A Prayer for the Dying' (filming began 2024)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Detailed character-driven realismQuiet, tension-bearing proseClose attention to everyday detail
- Recurring Motifs
- LonelinessLoss and griefSmall-town and working-class life
Legacy
Stewart O'Nan is an American contemporary writer known for finely detailed portrayals of everyday life and character psychology. He writes across short fiction, novels, nonfiction and screenplays, has seen film adaptations of his work, and collaborated with notable writers such as Stephen King. He is regarded as an important figure in late-20th/early-21st century literary fiction.
Archives
- Library of Congress (authority record)
In Popular Culture
- Increased visibility through the film 'Snow Angels' (2007)
Quotes
-
Very simple things like keeping the manuscript with you at all times. Always keep it with you. That way you can always go back to it.
Source: Nieman Reports ('Finding Time to Write') (2002)
Trivia
- Originally earned a BS in Aerospace Engineering and worked as a test engineer at Grumman.
- Married his high school sweetheart Trudy Anne Southwick in 1984.
- A diehard Boston Red Sox fan.
- Has collaborated with Stephen King (e.g., Faithful; co-written novella A Face in the Crowd).