American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 7 (1986) Winner
Terence Winch
テレンス・ウィンチ
Terence Winch
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1945-11-01 （New York City, United States）
- Nationality
- United States, Irish-American
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- The Bronx, New York City → Washington, D.C.
Career
- Occupations
- poet, writer, musician, editor, publisher, museum publications head
- Active Years
- 1970-
- Affiliations
- Mass Transit (readings/magazine), Some of Us Press (co-founder), Celtic Thunder (band, co-founder), Smithsonian Institution (Head of Publications, National Museum of the American Indian)
- Influenced By
- New York School poets, Irish traditional music and Irish-American community storytelling
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | American Book Award | Irish Musicians/American Friends | — | Before Columbus Foundation | winner |
| — | Columbia Book Award | The Great Indoors | — | — | winner |
| — | Gertrude Stein Award for Innovative Writing | — | — | — | winner |
| 1992 | National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (poetry) | — | — | National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) | fellowship |
| — | DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities grant | — | — | DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities | grant |
| — | Maryland State Arts Council grant | — | — | Maryland State Arts Council | grant |
American Book Award
Work:
Irish Musicians/American Friends
Organization:
Before Columbus Foundation
Result:
winner
Columbia Book Award
Work:
The Great Indoors
Result:
winner
Gertrude Stein Award for Innovative Writing
Result:
winner
National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship (poetry)
1992
Organization:
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA)
Result:
fellowship
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities grant
Organization:
DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
Result:
grant
Maryland State Arts Council grant
Organization:
Maryland State Arts Council
Result:
grant
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
It Is As If Desire
2024 poetryA recent collection of poems exploring desire, memory, and urban landscapes.
desirememoryurban life
That Ship Has Sailed
2023 poetryPoems meditating on immigration, memory, and nostalgia.
immigrationnostalgiafamily history
Seeing-Eye Boy
2020 fiction (young adult)A young-adult novel about coming of age and self-discovery.
coming of ageidentity
The Known Universe
2018 poetryA collection of poems blending personal and historical perspectives.
historypersonal narrative
This Way Out
2014 poetryPoems concerned with escape and direction, contrasting city life and homeland.
escapehome
Lit from Below
2013 poetryA poetry collection characterized by a perspective that finds light from beneath.
perspectiveeveryday life
Falling Out of Bed in a Room with No Floor
2011 poetryA collection mixing surreal imagery and humor.
surrealismhumor
Boy Drinkers
2007 poetryPoetic sketches about youth, comradeship, and drinking.
youthfriendshipdrinking
Irish Musicians/American Friends
1985 poetry / essaysA collection addressing Irish-American music and relationships; one of his notable works and an American Book Award winner.
Irish-American identitymusic
The Great Indoors
1995 short fiction / essaysA short-story collection focusing on interior scenes and interiority; recipient of the Columbia Book Award.
introspectionfragments of daily life
Contenders
1989 short storiesA short-story collection about human relationships and rivalries.
competitionrelationships
Bibliography
- It Is As If Desire (2024)
- That Ship Has Sailed (2023)
- Seeing-Eye Boy (2020)
- The Known Universe (2018)
- This Way Out (2014)
- Lit from Below (2013)
- Falling Out of Bed in a Room with No Floor (2011)
- Boy Drinkers (2007)
- When New York Was Irish: Songs & Tunes by Terence Winch (2007, music)
- The Drift of Things (2001)
- That Special Place (2004, non-fiction)
- Contenders (1989)
- Irish Musicians/American Friends (1985)
- The Great Indoors (1995)
Adaptations
- Celtic Thunder (band recordings and performances)
- When New York Was Irish (song covered by multiple artists)
- Celtic Thunder Live in Concert (2023, live recording)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- colloquial, improvisatory style influenced by the New York Schoollines with musical rhythm
- Recurring Motifs
- Irish-American identityimmigration and memorymusic and pub scenesurban life (especially New York)
Legacy
Terence Winch is recognized for bridging Irish traditional music and American contemporary poetry. Beyond his achievements as a poet and writer, his role in founding Celtic Thunder and long service as publications head at the Smithsonian have contributed to the visibility and preservation of Irish-American culture.
In Popular Culture
- 'When New York Was Irish' has been covered by many artists and become emblematic of Irish-New York imagery.
Trivia
- Co-founded the Irish traditional music band Celtic Thunder in 1977 and contributed many songs.
- Has contributed reviews and writing to publications including The Washington Post and The Village Voice.
- Worked at the Smithsonian Institution for 24 years, largely as Head of Publications at the National Museum of the American Indian.
- Served as guest editor for Best American Poetry 2025 (Simon & Schuster).