Eddy L. Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eddy L. Harris
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| Born | January 26, 1956 Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.
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| Alma mater | Stanford University |
| Occupation | Writer and filmmaker |
Eddy L. Harris (born January 26, 1956) is an American writer and filmmaker. He is known for his exciting travel books and documentaries. His works often explore themes of identity and place.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Eddy L. Harris was born in Indianapolis, Indiana. When he was about 18 months old, his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri. He attended the Saint Louis Priory School. Later, he went to Stanford University.
After college, Harris worked at different universities. He was a Visiting Writer-in-Residence at Washington University in St. Louis. He also taught in the writing program at Goucher College. Today, Eddy Harris lives in France.
Writing Adventures
Eddy Harris is famous for his books that combine travel, personal stories, and reflections.
Mississippi Solo
His first book, Mississippi Solo, came out in 1988. It tells the story of his journey by canoe. He paddled the entire length of the Mississippi River. This book mixes travel writing with his own thoughts. It also looks at what it means to be an African-American in different places.
Mississippi Solo was chosen for a special reading program in Missouri. Harris also won the Missouri Governor's Humanities Award in 2004 for this book.
Native Stranger
His second book, Native Stranger, was published in 1992. In this book, Harris shares his experiences traveling through Africa. He wrote honestly about the poverty and challenges he saw. He also shared his own feelings of sadness at times. Some readers disagreed with his views in this book.
South of Haunted Dreams
In 1993, Harris released his third book, South of Haunted Dreams. This book describes his solo motorcycle trip. He traveled through the southern parts of the United States.
Exploring Identity in Writing
In an interview, Harris talked about his writing style. He said his books are "certainly travel" books. But they are also like essays, where he shares his thoughts. He also mentioned that his books are like memoirs. They include his own memories and experiences.
Harris also discussed how his work is seen. He questioned why he was always called a "Black" writer. He wanted his books to connect people from all backgrounds. He hoped his stories could build bridges between different cultures.
Life in France
Today, Eddy Harris lives in France. His books are very popular there. He won the Prix du Livre en Poitou-Charentes in 2007. This award was for his book Still Life in Harlem, which was called Harlem in France.
His work has also been recognized by the Centre national du livre in France. This includes his memoir Jupiter et Moi. It is about the life of a Black man and his son. His most recent book is Paris en noir et black (2009). This book is a French translation of Paris Reflected in Black and White.
Filmmaking
In 2014, Eddy Harris started working on a documentary film. It is called River to the Heart. The film is about his second canoe journey down the Mississippi River.
The film was shown at the St. Louis International Film Festival in 2017. Harris explained his goal for the film. He wanted to show that knowing each other better helps reduce fear. He believes this can bring more unity to the country. River to the Heart won the Best Documentary award at the Ozark Foothills FilmFest in 2018.
Books by Eddy L. Harris
- Mississippi Solo, 1988.
- Native Stranger, 1992. (Named a "Notable Book of 1992" by The New York Times)
- South of Haunted Dreams, 1993.
- Still Life in Harlem, 1996. (Named a "Notable Book of 1997" by The New York Times). This book was translated into French as Harlem in 2007.
- Jupiter et Moi, 2005.
- Paris en noir et black, 2009.
Films by Eddy L. Harris
- River to the Heart, 2017. You can learn more at its website: www.rivertotheheart.com
Literary Inspirations
Eddy Harris has been inspired by other great writers, including:
