Anne Tyler is an American novelist, short story writer, and literary critic. She has written 23 novels and won numerous awards, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1989 for her novel Breathing Lessons.
Anne Tyler was born on October 25, 1941, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
She grew up in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she began writing fiction at the age of seven.
Tyler graduated from Duke University in 1961 and later received a graduate degree in Russian Studies from Columbia University.
Her first novel, If Morning Ever Comes, was published in 1964, and she has since written 22 more novels, including The Accidental Tourist, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, and A Spool of Blue Thread.
Tyler’s novels often focus on family relationships, identity, and the search for meaning and purpose in life.
Tyler has been honored with numerous awards for her writing, including the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1989 for her novel Breathing Lessons.
She currently lives in Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband and children.
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Breathing Lessons is a novel by Anne Tyler, published in 1988. It won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1989. The novel follows the story of a married couple, Maggie and Ira Moran, as they take a road trip to attend a funeral.
The Accidental Tourist is a novel by Anne Tyler, published in 1985. It won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 1985. The novel tells the story of a travel writer, Macon Leary, who begins to re-evaluate his life after the death of his son and the end of his marriage.
Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant is a novel by Anne Tyler, published in 1982. It was a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1983. The novel tells the story of the Tull family, focusing on the experiences of the three children, Cody, Ezra, and Jenny.
A Spool of Blue Thread is a novel by Anne Tyler, published in 2015. It was a finalist for the Man Booker Prize in 2015. The novel tells the story of the Whitshank family, focusing on the experiences of Abby and Red Whitshank and their four children.
Saint Maybe is a novel by Anne Tyler, published in 1991. The novel follows the story of Ian Bedloe, a young man who takes on the responsibility of caring for his brother's family after his brother commits suicide.
Anne Tyler's writing style is known for its simplicity and acceptance of the ordinary. Her novels often focus on everyday people and their struggles with love, loss, and family relationships. She also uses a lot of humor in her writing.
Anne Tyler's most famous book is probably The Accidental Tourist, which was made into a movie in 1988 starring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, and Geena Davis. The book won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction in 1985.
Anne Tyler has said that she writes for three hours every morning, even on weekends and holidays. She begins with an idea or character and writes without an outline, letting the story unfold as she goes.
Common themes in Anne Tyler's novels include family relationships, the search for identity and purpose, the meaning of home, and the acceptance of the ordinary. Her novels often explore the complexity of human relationships and the challenges of communication and connection.
Anne Tyler has written 23 novels and numerous short stories. Her first novel, If Morning Ever Comes, was published in 1964, and her most recent novel, Redhead By the Side of the Road, was published in 2020.