Nona Balakian Citation for Excellence in Reviewing
1 appearances
-
Edition 17 (2007) Nominee
Walter Norris Kirn
ウォルター・ノリス・キルン
Wōrutā Norisu Kirun
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1962-08-03 （Akron, Ohio）
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Baptized in 1974
- Residence History
- Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota → Livingston, Montana → Las Vegas, Nevada
Career
- Occupations
- Novelist, Literary critic, Essayist
- Active Years
- 1990-2025
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macalester College | — | English | — | 1年 | United States |
| Princeton University | — | English Department | A.B. | — | United States |
| Oxford University | — | English Literature | — | — | United Kingdom |
Macalester College
English
Period:
1年
Country:
United States
One year before transferring to Princeton
Princeton University
English Department
Degree:
A.B.
Year of Graduation:
1983
Country:
United States
Senior thesis 'Entangling Breaths (Poems)'
Oxford University
English Literature
Country:
United Kingdom
Keasbey Memorial Foundation Scholar, second undergraduate degree
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Thumbsucker
1999 NovelA novel about a boy with a thumb-sucking habit. Adapted into a 2005 film.
AddictionFamilyComing of age
Adaptations
- [Film] Thumbsucker / Mike Mills (2005)
Up in the Air
2001 NovelA novel about a frequent-flying businessman's life. Adapted into a 2009 film nominated for Oscars.
Modern lifeLonelinessCapitalism
Adaptations
- [Film] Up in the Air / Jason Reitman (2009)
Bibliography
- She Needed Me (1992)
- My Hard Bargain: Stories (1990)
- Thumbsucker (1999)
- Up in the Air (2001)
- Mission to America (2005)
- The Unbinding (2006)
- Lost in the Meritocracy (2009)
- Blood Will Out (2013)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- SatiricalHumorousFirst-person
- Recurring Motifs
- American societyIdentityDeception
Legacy
Known for satirical novels of modern American life, with 'Up in the Air' successfully adapted into a film. Active in podcasts and media.
In Popular Culture
- 'Up in the Air' film starring George Clooney
- Co-host of America This Week podcast
Trivia
- Family joined LDS when he was 12, but he is no longer affiliated
- Contributes to The Atlantic
- Princeton senior thesis was poems