Annie Dillard facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Annie Dillard
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| Born | Annie Doak April 30, 1945 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Period | 1974–present |
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| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction 1975 – Pilgrim at Tinker Creek |
| Spouse |
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| Children | Cody Rose |
Annie Dillard (born Annie Doak on April 30, 1945) is a famous American writer. She is known for her amazing stories, both true (nonfiction) and made-up (fiction).
Annie Dillard has written many different kinds of books. These include poems, essays (short pieces of writing about a topic), and novels (longer stories). Her book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, published in 1974, won a special award called the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction in 1975. For 21 years, starting in 1980, Dillard taught writing at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Annie Dillard was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was the oldest of three daughters.
You can learn about her childhood from her autobiography, An American Childhood (1987). It talks about growing up in the 1950s in Pittsburgh. She describes her home as "full of comedians." The book shows how she started to notice the world around her more.
Annie's mother was very energetic and liked to do things her own way. Her father taught her many useful things. These included plumbing and how novels work.
As a child, Dillard loved to read all sorts of books. She read about geology (rocks and earth), natural history (plants and animals), and poetry. Two important books for her were The Natural Way to Draw and Field Book of Ponds and Streams. These books helped her connect with the world.
Her days were busy with exploring, piano lessons, and collecting rocks and bugs. She also loved drawing and reading books from the public library. She especially liked books about nature and history, like World War II.
Annie Dillard went to church as a child, but her parents did not. She spent four summers at a church camp. As a teenager, she stopped going to church. She felt that some people there were not being true to their beliefs.
She went to public schools in Pittsburgh until fifth grade. Then she attended The Ellis School until she went to college.
College Years
Annie Dillard went to Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia. There, she studied English, religion, and creative writing. She said that in college, she learned how to learn from others. She wanted to understand what great writers had already thought.
She earned her first degree in 1967 and a master's degree in 1968. Her master's paper was about Henry David Thoreau. It showed how his book Walden Pond connected nature with deeper ideas.
After college, Dillard spent time painting, writing, and keeping a journal. Some of her poems and short stories were published. She also worked for a program that helped people in need.
From 1975 to 1978, Dillard was a special writer at Western Washington University. She has also received special honorary degrees from other colleges.
Writing Career
Annie Dillard's writing has been compared to famous authors like Virginia Woolf and Emily Dickinson. She enjoys books by writers such as Henry James and Ernest Hemingway.
First Books (1974-1977)
Her first book of poems was Tickets for a Prayer Wheel (1974). In it, she wrote about ideas she would later explore more in her other books.
Her most famous book, Pilgrim at Tinker Creek (1974), came from her journals. It's a true story about the natural world near her home in Virginia. The book explores ideas about God by looking closely at nature. It won the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1975. Annie Dillard was only 28, making her the youngest woman to win this award.
In 1977, she wrote Holy the Firm. This short book was inspired by three days she spent on Lummi Island. When a plane crashed, she started thinking about pain and why bad things happen in the world.
Later Works (1982-2017)
Teaching a Stone to Talk (1982) is a collection of 14 true stories and travel essays. One essay, "Total Eclipse," was chosen as one of the Best American Essays of the [20th] Century.
- "Total Eclipse"
- "An Expedition to the Pole"
- "In the Jungle"
- "Living Like Weasels"
- "The Deer at Providencia"
- "Teaching a Stone to Talk"
- "On a Hill Far Away"
- "Lenses"
- "Life on the Rocks: The Galapagos"
- "A Field of Silence"
- "God in the Doorway"
- "Mirages"
- "Sojourner"
- "Aces and Eights"
In Living by Fiction (1982), Dillard shared her ideas about how stories are told in books. She later said this book made her want to write an old-fashioned novel.
Encounters with Chinese Writers (1984) is a journalism book. Part of it is about her trip to China with other American writers. The second part is about her hosting Chinese writers in the U.S., even taking them to Disneyland!
The Writing Life (1989) is a collection of short essays about how and why she writes. It's like a helpful guide for writers.
Her first novel, The Living (1992), is about the first European settlers in the Pacific Northwest. While writing it, she made sure to only read books from that time period.
Mornings Like This (1995) is a book of "found poetry." Dillard took phrases from old books and arranged them into new poems.
For the Time Being (1999) is a true story book that explores big topics. These include birth, sand, China, clouds, and numbers.
The Maytrees (2007) is her second novel. It tells a story of lifelong love between a husband and wife. It was a finalist for a major award, the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
The Abundance (2017) is a collection of her essays, chosen by Annie Dillard herself.
Teaching Career
From 1975 to 1979, Dillard taught at Fairhaven College and Western Washington University. In 1980, she started teaching English at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. She taught there until she retired in 2002.
Awards and Special Recognitions
Annie Dillard's books have been translated into at least 10 languages. Her book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek was named one of the 100 best nonfiction books of the century by Random House. It was also listed among the 100 best spiritual books.
Her novel The Living was included in a list of the 100 best Western novels. Her essay "Total Eclipse" was chosen for a collection of the 100 best essays.
In 1984, the Boston Symphony Orchestra even used parts of Pilgrim at Tinker Creek in a new symphony.
In 1997, Dillard was added to the Connecticut Women's Hall of Fame for her writing. In 2000, she won an award for her book For the Time Being.
In 2005, artist Jenny Holzer used An American Childhood in a special light art display in Pittsburgh.
The New York Times named Maytrees one of the top ten books published in 2007.
On September 10, 2015, Annie Dillard received the National Humanities Medal. This is a very high honor for people who work in the humanities.
Personal Life
Family
In 1965, Annie Dillard married Richard Dillard, who was her creative writing professor. They later ended their marriage in 1975.
In 1976, she married Gary Clevidence. They had a child named Cody Rose, born in 1984. Their marriage ended in 1988.
In 1988, Dillard married Robert D. Richardson, a writer who wrote about history. They were married until he passed away in 2020.
Beliefs
Annie Dillard's book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek talks about many different beliefs. It mentions ideas from Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, and Inuit spirituality. For a time, she explored Roman Catholicism. Her personal website now lists her religion as "none."
Helping Others
Annie Dillard also paints. The money from her paintings helps Partners in Health. This group works to improve health for people around the world. You can see her art on her website.
Major Works
- 1974 Tickets for a Prayer Wheel ISBN: 0-8195-6536-9
- 1974 Pilgrim at Tinker Creek ISBN: 0-06-095302-0
- 1977 Holy The Firm ISBN: 0-06-091543-9
- 1982 Living By Fiction ISBN: 0-06-091544-7
- 1982 Teaching a Stone To Talk ISBN: 0-06-091541-2
- 1984 Encounters with Chinese Writers ISBN: 0-8195-6156-8
- 1987 An American Childhood ISBN: 0-06-091518-8
- 1989 The Writing Life ISBN: 0-06-091988-4
- 1992 The Living ISBN: 0-06-092411-X
- 1995 Mornings Like This: Found Poems ISBN: 0-06-092725-9
- 1999 For the Time Being ISBN: 0-375-40380-9
- 2007 The Maytrees ISBN: 0-06-123953-4
- 2016 The Abundance: Narrative Essays Old & New ISBN: 0-06-243297-4
See Also
In Spanish: Annie Dillard para niños
