American Book Awards
1 appearances
-
Edition 8 (1987) Winner
Terry McMillan
テリー・マクミラン
Terry McMillan
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1951-10-18 （Port Huron, Michigan, U.S.）
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Port Huron, Michigan, U.S. → Los Angeles, California, U.S. → Danville, California, U.S. → Los Angeles, California, U.S. (moved back)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Novelist
- Active Years
- 1976-
- Influenced
- Contemporary Black women writers and representations of Black womanhood in popular culture
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles City College | — | — | — | 1970年代前半（在学） | United States |
| University of California, Berkeley | — | Journalism | B.A. | 1970年代中盤–1977 | United States |
| Columbia University (MFA program) | — | Film (MFA) | — | 入学後中途退学 | United States |
Los Angeles City College
Period:
1970年代前半（在学）
Country:
United States
Attended with free tuition; took writing classes while working as a secretary.
University of California, Berkeley
Journalism
Degree:
B.A.
Period:
1970年代中盤–1977
Year of Graduation:
1977
Country:
United States
Wrote for The Daily Californian; earned a B.A. in journalism in 1977.
Columbia University (MFA program)
Film (MFA)
Period:
入学後中途退学
Country:
United States
Attended MFA film program but later left, citing experiences of racism.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Sankofa Freedom Award | — | — | — | 受賞 |
Sankofa Freedom Award
2024
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 31 (2021) Winner
Works
Major Works
Mama
1987 Fiction (novel)Debut novel expanded from a short story; explores mother-daughter relationships and family dynamics.
FamilyMother-daughter relationshipsComing of age
Disappearing Acts
1989 Fiction (romance, drama)Examines a troubled Black romantic relationship; partly inspired by McMillan's own experiences.
RomanceRelationship strugglesFamily
Adaptations
- [TV film] Disappearing Acts / Gina Prince-Bythewood (2000)
Breaking Ice: An Anthology of Contemporary African-American Fiction (editor)
1990 Anthology (editor)An anthology showcasing contemporary African-American fiction, intended to highlight Black writers for curricula and readers.
Black writingCuration
Waiting to Exhale
1992 Fiction (women's fiction)Follows the lives, friendships, and self-discovery of Black women in their thirties; became a major bestseller and culturally influential.
FriendshipSelf-discoveryRomanceMiddle-class life
Adaptations
- [Feature film] Waiting to Exhale / Forest Whitaker (1995)
How Stella Got Her Groove Back
1996 Fiction (romance)A story of a Black woman reclaiming her life; combines romance and personal transformation and was adapted into a well-known film.
RebirthSelf-affirmationRomance
Adaptations
- [Feature film] How Stella Got Her Groove Back / Kevin Rodney Sullivan (1998)
A Day Late and a Dollar Short
2001 Fiction (family drama)A novel about family bonds and struggles; later adapted into a television movie with a notable ensemble cast.
FamilyReconciliationOvercoming hardship
Adaptations
- [TV movie] A Day Late and a Dollar Short (2014)
It's OK if You're Clueless: and 23 More Tips for the College Bound
2006 Nonfiction / AdviceA collection of tips and advice for students preparing for college.
EducationCollege guidance
The Interruption of Everything
2005 FictionExplores a woman's life interrupted by unexpected changes.
ChangeMidlifeFamily
Getting to Happy
2010 Fiction (sequel)A sequel to Waiting to Exhale, following the characters' later lives.
FriendshipMaturationLife rebuilding
Who Asked You?
2013 FictionA novel focusing on family relationships and the subtleties of everyday life.
FamilyEveryday life
I Almost Forgot About You
2016 FictionExamines life turning points and relationships with important people.
ReunionMemoryRelationships
It's Not All Downhill From Here
2020 FictionA recent novel dealing with family, loss, and growth.
LossFamilyRebirth
Bibliography
- Mama (1987)
- Disappearing Acts (1989)
- Breaking Ice: An Anthology of Contemporary African-American Fiction (editor) (1990)
- Waiting to Exhale (1992)
- How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1996)
- A Day Late and a Dollar Short (2001)
- The Interruption of Everything (2005)
- It's OK if You're Clueless: and 23 More Tips for the College Bound (2006)
- Getting to Happy (2010)
- Who Asked You? (2013)
- I Almost Forgot About You (2016)
- It's Not All Downhill From Here (2020)
Adaptations
- Waiting to Exhale (1995 film)
- How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998 film)
- Disappearing Acts (2000 TV film)
- A Day Late and a Dollar Short (2014 TV movie)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Conversational, rhythmic proseBalance of humor and emotional insightVivid depiction of the interior lives of Black women
- Recurring Motifs
- FriendshipSelf-discoveryFamily relationshipsLove and renewalBlack middle-class life
Legacy
Terry McMillan is a key figure in American literature and popular culture since the 1990s, making visible the voices and experiences of Black women. Her bestsellers and film adaptations have had broad influence and left a significant mark on contemporary Black women writers and popular culture.
In Popular Culture
- Film adaptations of Waiting to Exhale and How Stella Got Her Groove Back connected her novels to popular culture (film and music), amplifying their cultural impact.
Trivia
- First in her family to attend college.
- Promoted her debut novel Mama herself—contacting bookstores and organizing readings—which led to the initial hardcover run selling out.
- Married Jonathan Plummer in 1998; he came out as gay during their marriage and she filed for divorce in 2005.
- Sold her Danville, California home in 2012 and later moved to Los Angeles.
- Waiting to Exhale is credited with influencing 1990s R&B and sparking conversations centered on Black women.