Eleanor Catton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eleanor Catton
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Eleanor Catton in 2012
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| Born | Eleanor Frances Catton 1985 (age 39–40) London, Ontario, Canada |
| Occupation | Novelist |
| Nationality | New Zealand |
| Education | University of Canterbury (BA) Victoria University of Wellington (BA Hons, MA) University of Iowa (MFA) |
| Notable works | The Luminaries |
| Notable awards | 2013 Booker Prize |
Eleanor Catton (born in 1985) is a talented writer and screenwriter from New Zealand. She was born in Canada but moved to New Zealand when she was a child. She grew up in Christchurch and later studied creative writing.
Eleanor Catton is famous for her books. Her first novel, The Rehearsal, came out in 2008. Her second book, The Luminaries, won a huge award called the Booker Prize in 2013. This made her the youngest person ever to win it, at just 28 years old! She was also only the second New Zealander to receive this honor. Both of her famous novels have been made into movies or TV shows, and Eleanor even helped write the TV series for The Luminaries.
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Growing Up
Eleanor Catton was born in London, Ontario, Canada, in 1985. Her father was studying there. Her mother is from New Zealand, and her father is from the United States.
When Eleanor was six years old, her family moved back to New Zealand. She grew up in Christchurch. Her mother was a children's librarian, and their family didn't have a TV. Because of this, Eleanor loved reading and writing from a very young age.
At 13, her family lived in Leeds, England, for a year. Eleanor went to Lawnswood School there. She later studied English at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. She also earned a Master's degree in Creative Writing from Victoria University of Wellington.
Her Books and Writing Career
Her First Book: The Rehearsal
Eleanor Catton's first novel, The Rehearsal, was published in 2008. She was only 22 at the time! She wrote it as part of her Master's degree. The book is about how people react to a secret relationship between a teacher and a student.
The Rehearsal won the Betty Trask Award in 2009. It was also considered for other big awards like the Orange Prize.
After this, Eleanor went to the Iowa Writers' Workshop in the United States. She taught creative writing there until 2011. In 2016, The Rehearsal was made into a movie.
Her Award-Winning Book: The Luminaries
Eleanor Catton started writing her second novel, The Luminaries, when she was 25. It was published in 2013. The story takes place in New Zealand in 1866, during the gold rush.
The Luminaries won the famous Booker Prize in 2013. Eleanor was 28, making her the youngest author ever to win this award. The book is very long, with 832 pages, and it was the longest book to win the prize in its history. The head judge, Robert Macfarlane, called it "a dazzling work."
In 2014, Eleanor received an honorary degree from Victoria University of Wellington. She was also given the Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit award for her contributions to literature.
Writing for the Screen
Eleanor Catton enjoyed making zombie movies with her friends when she was a teenager. She never formally studied screenwriting, but she became very good at it!
When The Luminaries was turned into a TV miniseries, Eleanor was the screenwriter. This is quite unusual, as authors don't always write the screenplays for their own books. She worked hard on the script, and the six-episode series first aired in 2020.
Eleanor also wrote the screenplay for the 2020 movie Emma. This film was based on a classic novel by Jane Austen.
Her Latest Book: Birnam Wood
Eleanor Catton's third novel, Birnam Wood, was published in 2023. The title comes from William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. The book is a modern thriller about a group of young environmental activists.
Birnam Wood was recognized as one of the 100 Notable Books of 2023 by The New York Times.
Her Views on Society
In 2015, Eleanor Catton spoke about her views on how governments support the arts. She said she felt strongly that some governments didn't care enough about culture and focused too much on money.
Her comments caused a lot of discussion in New Zealand. Some people, including the Prime Minister at the time, John Key, disagreed with her. They said she shouldn't criticize the government that had supported her.
Eleanor explained that her comments were part of a bigger interview. She was surprised by how much attention they got. Many people supported her right to share her opinions. This event was even called "Cattongate" by some commentators.
Her Personal Life
Eleanor Catton met poet Steven Toussaint at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. Steven moved to New Zealand in 2011. They got married on January 3, 2016. Eleanor says Steven is the first person to read her book drafts. As of 2023, they live in Cambridge, England, with their daughter.
Helping Other Writers
In 2014, Eleanor Catton used some of her prize money from the New Zealand Post Book Awards to create a special grant. It's called the Lancewood/Horoeka Grant. This grant helps new writers by giving them money. The goal is to give them time to read and learn, and to share what they learn with other artists.
Awards and Honors
Eleanor Catton has won many awards for her writing:
- 2007
- Adam Foundation Prize in Creative Writing for The Rehearsal
- 2008
- Glenn Schaeffer Fellowship at the Iowa Writers' Workshop
- 2009
- Betty Trask Award for The Rehearsal
- New Zealand Society of Authors Hubert Church (Montana) Best First Book Award for Fiction for The Rehearsal
- 2010
- Amazon.ca First Novel Award for The Rehearsal
- 2013
- Booker Prize for The Luminaries
- Governor General's Award for English-language fiction for The Luminaries
- 2014
- New Zealand Post Book Awards Fiction Award and People's Choice Award for The Luminaries
- DLitt, an honorary doctorate awarded by the Victoria University of Wellington
- 2023
- Granta Best of Young British Novelists
Her Published Works
Novels
- The Rehearsal (2008)
- The Luminaries (2013)
- Birnam Wood (2023)
- Doubtful Sound (To Be Confirmed)
Short Stories
Eleanor Catton has also published short stories in various collections, including:
- Best New Zealand Fiction Vol. 5 (2008)
- The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Short Stories (2009)
- Granta issue 106 (Summer 2009)
Films (as Screenwriter)
- Emma. (2020) - Directed by Autumn de Wilde.
