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T. J. Stiles

ティー・ジェイ・スタイルズ

T. J. Stiles

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1964-01-01 （Foley, Minnesota）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
New York City (approximately 20 years) → Berkeley, California (current)

Career

Occupations
Biographer, Author, Historian
Active Years
1990-
Affiliations
Society of American Historians, Authors Guild, Biographers International Organization, San Francisco Writer's Grotto (former)
Memberships
Society of American Historians, Authors Guild, Biographers International Organization
Nominations
Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Biography) — finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award (Biography) — finalist (2015), Guggenheim-Lehrman Prize in Military History — finalist

Education

Carleton College
History
Degree: BA
Period: 1982–1986
Year of Graduation: 1986
Country: United States
Studied history; graduated with Distinction
Columbia University
History
Degree: MA, MPhil
Period: 在学期間不明
Country: United States
Held a fellowship in European history; received an MA and MPhil

Awards

National Book Award for Nonfiction
2009
Work: The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: 受賞
Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography
2010
Work: The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt
Organization: The Pulitzer Prizes
Result: 受賞
Pulitzer Prize for History
2016
Work: Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America
Organization: The Pulitzer Prizes
Result: 受賞
Guggenheim Fellowship
2011
Organization: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result: 受賞
Golden Plate Award (American Academy of Achievement)
2019
Organization: American Academy of Achievement
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War

2002 Biography

A reassessment of the legendary outlaw Jesse James, focusing on his life and historical role rather than folklore; argues he gained political support by portraying himself as a Confederate avenger.

Post–Civil War politicsCrime and folklore/mythmaking

The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt

2009 Biography

A comprehensive biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt, chronicling his rise in 19th-century shipping and railroads, the formation of the Vanderbilt dynasty, and his role in the Gilded Age.

Capitalism and entrepreneurshipThe Gilded Age

Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America

2015 Biography

A biography of George Armstrong Custer that examines his life and the broader story of American expansion and nation-building; places the Battle of Little Bighorn in the wider context of his career.

American frontier expansionMilitary history and re-evaluation of heroism

Bibliography

  • Jesse James: Last Rebel of the Civil War (2002)
  • The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt (2009)
  • Custer's Trials: A Life on the Frontier of a New America (2015)
  • Editor: The Citizen's Handbook and other primary-source anthologies (1990s)

Adaptations

  • Documentaries (consultant/on-screen): "Jesse James", "Grand Central", etc.

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Narrative biography grounded in archival researchCritical, balanced biographical prose
Recurring Motifs
Tension between public myth and individual livesAmerican expansion and economic power

Legacy

T. J. Stiles is a leading contemporary American biographer known for combining archival scholarship with narrative skill. He is highly regarded for winning the National Book Award and multiple Pulitzer Prizes and for deepening public understanding of American history.

Academic Societies

  • Society of American Historians

Archives

  • Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center for Scholars and Writers, New York Public Library

Trivia

  • Practices and teaches Shotokan karate; holds a 5th dan from the Japan Karate Association.
  • Lived in New York City for about twenty years; currently resides in Berkeley, California with his wife and children.