Carl Phillips facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Carl Phillips
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| Born | July 23, 1959 |
| Education | Harvard University (BA) University of Massachusetts, Amherst (MA) Boston University (MA) |
| Employer | Washington University in St. Louis |
| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize for Poetry The Kingsley and Kate Tufts Poetry Awards Jackson Poetry Prize Lambda Literary Award Los Angeles Times Book Prize |
| Partner | Doug Macomber (1992–2007) Reston Allen (2013–present) |
Carl Phillips, born on July 23, 1959, is a well-known American writer and poet. He works as a professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis. In 2023, he received the important Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his book Then the War: And Selected Poems, 2007-2020.
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Early Life and Education
Carl Phillips was born in Everett, Washington. Because his family was in the military, they moved to different places every year. Eventually, they settled on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, when he was in high school.
He went to several universities, including Harvard University, the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and Boston University. Before becoming a famous poet, Phillips taught Latin in high school for eight years.
His Amazing Books and Poems
Carl Phillips has written many collections of poems. His first book, In the Blood, won the Samuel French Morse Poetry Prize in 1992. His second book, Cortège, was nominated for a National Book Critics Circle Award in 1995.
Award-Winning Works
His book Pastoral won the 2001 Lambda Literary Award for Poetry. In 2002, Phillips received the Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award for his book The Tether. He published All It Takes in 2004. In 2005, he won the Thom Gunn Award for The Rest of Love.
His poems often explore themes like spirituality, feelings, and faith. You can find his work in many poetry collections, including American Alphabets: 25 Contemporary Poets (2006).
Recent Collections
In 2015, Phillips released his 13th collection of poems, called Reconnaissance. This book was nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Best Poetry. It also appeared on the Top Books list from Canada's The Globe and Mail. Reconnaissance won both the Lambda Literary Award and the PEN Center USA Award.
His most recent book, Then the War: And Selected Poems, was published in 2022. This book earned him the Pulitzer Prize in 2023. His publisher describes Then the War as a "luminous testimony" to how powerful it is to understand yourself. They also call Carl Phillips an "ever-changing, necessary voice" in modern poetry.
Awards and Recognition
Carl Phillips has been recognized with many important awards for his poetry. He has been a finalist for the National Book Award four times. He received the Kingsley Tufts Award in 2002 and the Jackson Poetry Prize in 2021. As mentioned, he also won the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry.
Judging and Leadership Roles
Phillips has also served as a judge for major poetry awards. He was a judge for the 2010 Griffin Poetry Prize. In April 2010, he became the new judge of the Yale Series of Younger Poets. In 2011, he joined the judging panel for The Kingsley and Kate Tufts Poetry Awards.
His poetry collection, Double Shadow, was a finalist for the 2011 National Book Award for poetry. Double Shadow also won the 2011 Los Angeles Times Book Prize in the Poetry category.
From 2008 to 2012, Phillips was a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets. In 2014, his book Silverchest was nominated for the Griffin Poetry Prize.
Other Honors
The Board of Trustees of The Kenyon Review honored Carl Phillips in 2013 with the Kenyon Review Award for Literary Achievement. He has also received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation and the Library of Congress.
In 2024, Phillips was shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize for Poetry. This shows his continued importance in the world of poetry.
