Donald Barthelme is one of the best writers in post war America. He was born on April 7, 1931 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Barthelme was a multi faceted writer and earned an international reputation
as a novelist, fantasy author, short story writer, children’s author and professor of Geographic Connection to Pennsylvania. His early career was oriented towards mainstream journalism, covering the areas of military and in the civilian world. He was honored with the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1967 and thus, started his first novel - Snow White. He visualized spending the rest of his life teaching and writing fictions.
He was awarded the National Book Award and the National Institute of Arts and Letters Award. He was also the member of the National Institutes of Arts and Letters and Creative Writing faculty at the University of Houston and a professor of English for some years. He wrote traditional and philosophical verses reflecting the folk culture. Barthleme wrote in a lucid and contemporary style.
Biography of Donald Barthelme
Donald Barthelme was born of Donald Barthelme, a well-known architect and college professor and Helen Barthelme. He married Birgit and had a daughter - Anne Katharine. After a few years of bitter married life, Barthleme decided to divorce Helen and marry Marion.
Barthelme was a student of the University of Houston. He mastered in journalism and wrote irregularly in the college newspaper and annual publications. He completed his graduation in 1956. In 1951, Barthelme became a reporter with the Houston Post, while he was still studying in college. In 1953, he was enlisted into the U.S. Army and he left for Korea. There, he became the editor of several army official newspapers, the most prominent one being Stars and Stripes. After his experience in army, he returned to work for the Houston Post in 1955. In his later years, he worked for a public relations job at the University of Houston. Barthelme founded the university’s literary magazine named Forum in 1956. Just after 3 years, he became a member of the board of directors of the Houston Contemporary Arts Museum. After 2 years of diligent service as a board member, he got promotion to the
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post of director of the museum.
In 1962, Barthelme went to New York as an editor of art and literary review magazine – Location. However ‘Location’ did not gain much of success and Barthelme left for Denmark in 1965. There he received the Guggenheim Fellowship Award and published Snow White. In 1972, Barthelme returned New York. He practiced teaching until 1980 and then left for Houston, Texas.
Literary Works of Donald Barthelme
Contemporary themes and modern day topics have been the focal point of the writings of Donald Barthelme. His writings received much of critical remarks because of its unusual style. Other critics have noted them for its modern and individualistic approach. He was honored with the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction stories and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for his overall literary works. Some of the famous novels, stories and plays written by him are:
Novels
Paradise written at New York: Putnam, 1986
The Dead Father written at New York: Farrar, Strauss in 1972
Snow White written at New York: Atheneum in1967
Stories
Forty Stories written at New York: Putnam in 1987.
Overnight to Many Distant Cities written at New York: Putnam in 1983.
Sixty Stories written at New York: Putnam in 1981.
Great Days written at New York: Farrar, Strauss in 1979.
Amateurs written at New York: Farrar, Strauss in 1976.
Sadness written at New York: Farrar, Strauss in 1972.
City Life written at New York: Farrar, Strauss in 1970.
Unspeakable practices, Unnatural Acts written at New York: Farrar, Strauss in1970.
Play
Great Days. New York: American Place Theater, 1983.
Donald Barthelme died of cancer on July 23, 1989 in Houston, Texas. Even today, people regard him as one of the best writers of America.
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