Eric Gansworth facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eric Gansworth
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Eric Gansworth (c. 2004)
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| Born | 1965 (age 59–60) Tuscarora Indian Nation |
| Occupation | Professor of English and Lowery Writer-in-Residence at Canisius College |
| Language | English |
| Nationality | Onondaga Nation, American |
| Education | Tuscarora Indian School, Niagara County Community College, State University College at Buffalo |
| Genre | Native American literature |
| Subject | Contemporary Haudenosaunee culture |
| Notable works | Mending Skins (2005); Extra Indians (2010); If I Ever Get Out of Here (2013) |
| Notable awards | American Book Award (2011) for Extra Indians; PEN Oakland-Josephine Miles National Literary Award (2006) for Mending Skins |
Eric Gansworth, born in 1965, is a talented writer and artist from New York. He is a member of the Onondaga Nation and has Tuscarora heritage. He writes novels and poems, and also creates visual art.
Contents
About Eric Gansworth
Early Life and Background
Eric Gansworth was born in 1965. He is a member of the Onondaga Nation and belongs to the Eel Clan. He grew up in the Tuscarora Nation. His family has roots there from the 1700s.
At first, Eric studied a medical field called electroencephalography. This was seen as a helpful job for his community. But he later decided to study literature. He also kept up his passion for painting and drawing.
His Books and Stories
Gansworth has written five novels. These include the award-winning Mending Skins (2005) and Extra Indians (2010). His books often include illustrations. These drawings are an important part of the story.
His first young adult novel is called If I Ever Get out of Here (2013). This book is about the friendship between two boys. One boy lives on the Tuscarora Nation. The other lives on a nearby Air Force base. Critics praised the book for showing real characters. It explored how two different worlds could connect.
Gansworth noticed there were not many pictures of modern Native American life when he was growing up. He also found few books by American Indian authors in his studies. Much of his work today tries to fill this gap. He wants to show how history affects the present. He also has a strong interest in entertainment culture.
His nonfiction book Apple (Skin to the Core) (2000) won a Michael L. Printz honor. This award is for excellent young adult writing.
His Visual Art
Gansworth started his art career by selling drawings. His professional art journey began in 1999. This was with an exhibition called Nickel Eclipse: Iroquois Moon. Since then, he has shown his art regularly. One of his images was even chosen for a book cover. It was for Sherman Alexie's novel First Indian on the Moon.
See also
