Alice Sebold facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alice Sebold
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| Born | September 6, 1963 Madison, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Education | Syracuse University (BA) University of Houston University of California, Irvine (MFA) |
| Genre | Literary fiction, memoir |
| Notable works |
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| Spouse |
Glen David Gold
(m. 2001; div. 2012) |
Alice Sebold (born September 6, 1963) is an American author. She is famous for her novels The Lovely Bones and The Almost Moon. She also wrote a memoir (a true story about her own life) called Lucky.
The Lovely Bones was a huge success. It appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list. Later, it was even made into a movie in 2009. Her memoir Lucky was later taken out of print because of new information that came to light about the events it described.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alice Sebold was born in Madison, Wisconsin. She grew up in Paoli, Pennsylvania, a suburb near Philadelphia. Her father taught Spanish at the University of Pennsylvania.
Alice went to Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania, and graduated in 1980. She then attended Syracuse University, where she earned her bachelor's degree. Some of her teachers there were famous writers like Tess Gallagher, Raymond Carver, Tobias Wolff, and Hayden Carruth.
After college in 1984, she briefly studied at the University of Houston in Texas. Then, she moved to Manhattan, New York, and lived there for ten years. During this time, she worked various jobs, like waitressing, while trying to become a writer. She tried writing poetry and novels, but none of her early works were published.
Later, Sebold moved to Southern California. There, she worked as a caretaker at an artists' colony. She lived in a simple cabin in the woods without electricity. In 1998, she earned her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree from the University of California, Irvine.
The Lovely Bones Novel
After finishing her memoir, Lucky, Alice Sebold completed her novel, which was first called Monsters. This book was published in 2002 as The Lovely Bones.
The story of The Lovely Bones is about a young girl who watches her family and friends from heaven after a terrible event. It explores themes of loss, hope, and how people deal with difficult situations. Sebold wanted to write about how common challenging experiences can be in life.
Reviewers praised the book. The Houston Chronicle called it a "disturbing story" but also noted its "moving, passionate interest in and love for ordinary life." The New York Times said Sebold could capture both everyday moments and shocking events in her writing. The Lovely Bones stayed on The New York Times Best Seller list for over a year. By 2007, more than ten million copies had been sold around the world.
In 2010, the book was made into a movie. It was directed by Peter Jackson and starred actors like Saoirse Ronan, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Mark Wahlberg, and Rachel Weisz.
Other Writing Works
Alice Sebold's second novel is called The Almost Moon. This book tells the story of an art class model and begins with a very striking first sentence. Like her other books, it explores complex relationships, especially between parents and their daughters. The book received different opinions from critics.
Sebold also had the honor of being a guest editor for The Best American Short Stories 2009, a collection of excellent short stories.
Awards and Recognition
Alice Sebold's novel The Lovely Bones received several awards:
- The Bram Stoker Award for First Novel in 2002.
- The Heartland Prize in 2002.
- The American Booksellers Association's Book of the Year Award for Adult Fiction in 2003.
She also received fellowships from MacDowell, which is a place where artists can work. She had these fellowships in 2000, 2005, and 2009. In 2016, Emerson College gave Sebold an honorary degree, which is a special award from a university.
Personal Life
In 2001, Alice Sebold married another novelist named Glen David Gold. They later divorced in 2012.
Works
- Lucky (memoir, 1999), Scribner, ISBN: 0-684-85782-0
- The Lovely Bones (novel, 2002), Little, Brown, ISBN: 0-316-66634-3
- The Almost Moon (novel, 2007), Little, Brown, ISBN: 0-316-67746-9
See Also
In Spanish: Alice Sebold para niños
