Donna Tartt facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Donna Tartt
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Tartt in 2015
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| Born | December 23, 1963 Greenwood, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Occupation | Fiction writer |
| Education | University of Mississippi Bennington College (BA) |
| Period | 1992–present |
| Literary movement | Neo-romanticism |
| Notable works | The Secret History (1992) The Little Friend (2002) The Goldfinch (2013) |
| Notable awards | WH Smith Literary Award 2003 The Little Friend Pulitzer Prize for Fiction 2014 The Goldfinch |
Donna Louise Tartt (born December 23, 1963) is a famous American writer. She writes novels and essays. Her most well-known books are The Secret History (1992), The Little Friend (2002), and The Goldfinch (2013). The Goldfinch was even made into a movie in 2019. In 2014, Time magazine named her one of the "100 Most Influential People" in the world.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Donna Tartt was born on December 23, 1963, in Greenwood, Mississippi. She grew up in a nearby town called Grenada. Her parents loved to read, and her mother often read books even while driving.
Donna started writing poems when she was very young. She wrote her first poem at age 5. When she was 13, one of her poems was published in a magazine called Mississippi Review. In high school, she was a cheerleader and worked at the public library.
College Years and Early Writing
In 1981, Donna went to the University of Mississippi. There, she wrote short stories for the school newspaper. A famous writer named Willie Morris read one of her stories and called her "a genius."
Because of Morris's recommendation, Donna was able to join a special writing class. Her teacher, Barry Hannah, called her "deeply literary" and a "literary star." In 1982, she moved to Bennington College in Vermont. At Bennington, she studied classic literature. She also met other writers like Bret Easton Ellis. Donna Tartt finished college in 1986.
Writing Career
Donna Tartt's first novel, The Secret History, came out in 1992. She got the idea for this book from her time at Bennington College. The book was a big success, both with readers and critics. People were very impressed because she was only 29 years old when it was published.
Her second novel, The Little Friend, was published in 2002. It was first released in Dutch because her books were very popular in the Netherlands. In 2006, one of her short stories, "The Ambush," was chosen for a collection called Best American Short Stories 2006.
The Goldfinch and Its Impact
Donna Tartt's third novel, The Goldfinch, was released in 2013. This book became a bestseller and won many awards. It was later made into a movie.
Donna Tartt is a member of the Catholic Church. She wrote an essay about how her faith helps her writing. She believes that faith is important for her work. However, she also thinks writers should not force their beliefs into their stories.
It takes Donna Tartt a long time to write her books. She has spent about ten years writing each of her novels.
Personal Life
Donna Tartt is a very private person. She has lived in different places, including Greenwich Village and near Charlottesville, Virginia. She is about 5 feet tall. Donna has said that she does not plan to get married.
As of 2016, Donna Tartt lives with art gallery owner Neal Guma. They both went to Bennington College. They bought their home in Charlottesville together in 1997. Donna dedicated her second novel to someone named Neal.
Awards and Recognition
Donna Tartt has won many important awards for her writing:
- 2003 WH Smith Literary Award – for The Little Friend
- 2003 Orange Prize for Fiction shortlist – for The Little Friend
- 2013 National Book Critics Circle Award (fiction) shortlist – for The Goldfinch
- 2014 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction shortlist – for The Goldfinch
- 2014 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction – for The Goldfinch
- 2014 Time 100 Most Influential People
- 2014 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence for Fiction – for The Goldfinch
- 2014 Vanity Fair International Best Dressed List
See also
In Spanish: Donna Tartt para niños
