Paul Harding | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1967 (age 58–59) |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Education | University of Massachusetts, Amherst (BA) University of Iowa (MFA) |
| Genre | Literary fiction |
| Notable works | Tinkers (2009) |
| Notable awards | 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2010 PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize |
Paul Harding (born 1967) is an American musician and author, best known for hisdebut novelTinkers (2009), which won the2010 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction[1] and the 2010PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize,[2] among other honors. He is currently a Distinguished Professor of Creative Writing atEmerson College in Boston.[3] Previously, Harding was the director of the Creative Writing and Literature MFA program atStony Brook Southampton,[4] as well as interim associate provost ofStony Brook University's Lichtenstein Center.[5]
Paul Harding grew up on theNorth Shore of theBoston area in the town ofWenham, Massachusetts. In his youth, he spent a lot of time "knocking about in the woods," to which he attributes his love of nature.[6] His grandfather repaired clocks, and he apprenticed under him, an experience that found its way into his first novel,Tinkers.[7] Harding has aB.A. degree in English from theUniversity of Massachusetts Amherst[8] and anMFA from theIowa Writers' Workshop, and has taught writing atHarvard University and theUniversity of Iowa.[9]
After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, he spent time touring with his bandCold Water Flat in the US and Europe. He had always been a heavy reader, and recalls readingCarlos Fuentes'Terra Nostra and thinking "this is what I want to do." In that book, Harding "saw the entire world, all of history." When he next had time off from touring with the band he signed up for a summer writing class atSkidmore College in New York. His teacher wasMarilynne Robinson, and through her he learned about theIowa Writers' Workshop writing program. There, he studied withBarry Unsworth,Elizabeth McCracken, and later Robinson. At some point,[when?] he realized some of the people he admired most were "profoundly religious," so he spent years readingtheology and was "deeply" influenced byKarl Barth andJohn Calvin. He considers himself a "self-taught modern New Englandtranscendentalist."[6]
Musically, Harding admires jazz drummers and considersJohn Coltrane's drummer,Elvin Jones, the greatest.[6] Harding was the drummer in the bandCold Water Flat throughout its existence from 1990 to 1996.[10]
Harding's second novel,Enon (2013), concerns characters from his first novel,Tinkers, looking at the lives of George Crosby's grandson, Charlie Crosby, and his daughter Kate.[9] His third novel,This Other Eden, was shortlisted for the 2023Booker Prize[11] and the 2023National Book Award for Fiction.[12]
In September 2024, Harding began teaching in the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College.[3]
Harding lives near Boston with his wife and two sons.[9]
| Year | Title | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Tinkers | Center for Fiction First Novel Prize | — | Shortlisted | [13] |
| Los Angeles Times Book Prize | First Fiction | Finalist | [14] | ||
| 2010 | PEN/Robert W. Bingham Prize | — | Won | [15] | |
| Pulitzer Prize | Fiction | Won | [16] | ||
| 2011 | International Dublin Literary Award | — | Longlisted | [17] | |
| 2012 | — | Fernanda Pivano Award | — | Won | [18] |
| 2014 | Enon | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence | Fiction | Longlisted | |
| Jan Michalski Prize | — | First Selection | [19] | ||
| Maine Readers' Choice Award | — | Longlisted | |||
| 2023 | This Other Eden | Booker Prize | — | Shortlisted | [11] |
| National Book Award | Fiction | Finalist | [12] | ||
| 2024 | Chautauqua Prize | — | Shortlisted | [20] | |
| International Dublin Literary Award | — | Longlisted | [21] | ||
| Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award | — | Finalist | [22] |
