H. G. Carrillo facts for kids

H. G. Carrillo (born Herman Glenn Carroll; April 27, 1960 – April 20, 2020) was an American writer and a professor at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In the 1990s, he started writing as "H. G. Carrillo." He later began using this name in his daily life too.

Carroll created a story that he was a Cuban immigrant. He claimed he left Cuba with his family when he was seven. However, he was actually an African-American man from Michigan. Carroll often wrote about the experiences of Cuban immigrants in the United States. This included his only novel, Loosing My Espanish (2004).

Carroll kept his real identity a secret from many people close to him. This included his husband, whom he married in 2015. After he passed away in April 2020, his family shared the true details of his life. This is when his real story became known to the public.

About H. G. Carrillo

Early Life and Education

Herman Glenn Carroll was born in 1960 in Detroit, Michigan. His parents were educated African-Americans who were also born in Michigan. By the 1980s, he had moved to Chicago. He began writing after his partner passed away in 1988.

During this time, he started using the name "Hermán G. Carrillo." Later, he also used "Hache," which means "H" in Spanish. In his public life, he made up a story about himself. He claimed he was born in Santiago de Cuba, Cuba, in 1960. He said his family moved to Spain when he was seven, and then to Michigan. He also claimed to be a "widely-traveled" child pianist and a "prodigy." These claims were also found to be untrue after his death.

Carroll earned his bachelor's degree in Spanish and English from DePaul University in Chicago in 2000. He then received a MFA degree from Cornell University in 2007.

His Writing Career

Using the name Herman Carrillo, Carroll worked as an assistant professor of English. He taught at George Washington University. He started teaching at the university level after 2007. He was also the chairman of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation.

Carroll's writings were published under the Carrillo name. They appeared in several well-known publications. These included The Kenyon Review, Conjunctions, The Iowa Review, Glimmer Train, and Slice.

Loosing My Espanish Novel

Carroll's first and only full-length novel was Loosing My Espanish. It was published in 2004. The book explores difficult topics like Latino immigration. It also covers religious education and challenges faced by people in lower-income groups. The novel was published using the Carrillo name.

Wendy Gimbel, a reviewer for The Washington Post, wrote about the novel. She said that the story moves back and forth in time. This helps to create a clear picture from different scenes.

Awards and Recognition

As H.G. Carrillo, Carroll won several awards for his writing. He received the Arthur Lynn Andrew Prize for Best Fiction in 2001 and 2003. He also won the Iowa Award in 2004.

He was given several fellowships and grants. These included a Sage Fellowship and a Provost's Fellowship. He also received a Newberry Library Research Grant. In 2001, he won the Glimmer Train Fiction Open Prize. He was named the 2002 Alan Collins Scholar for Fiction.

Death and What Happened Next

Carroll had cancer and passed away from complications of COVID-19. He died on April 20, 2020, just one week before his 60th birthday. After his obituary was published, his family in Michigan learned about his true identity. They then told Carroll's husband and the newspaper.

The discovery that Carroll had made up parts of his life was a big surprise. His friends and colleagues were shocked. His family members had different reactions. Some relatives were not very bothered, with his niece saying he "was always eccentric." However, his mother was "really hurt by the whole façade."

Some Cuban-American writers read his works after his death. They noticed some errors in his Spanish. They also felt his stories did not truly show the Cuban immigrant experience. Instead, they seemed to mix different Latin American stories and Hollywood ideas.

Published Works by H.G. Carrillo

Books

• Loosing My Espanish (2004)

Short Stories

• Luna (2020)
• Contracorriente (2016)
• Gavage (2013)
• Twilight of the Small Havanas (2010)
• Andalúcia (2008/2009)
• Co-Sleeper (2008)
• Elizabeth (2006)
• The Santiago Boy (2006)
• Caridad (2005)
• Cosas (2004)
• Abejas Rubias (2004)

Essays

• Splaining Yourself (2014)
• Who Knew Desi Arnaz Wasn't White?" An Essay (2007)
• ¿Quién se hubiera imaginado que Desi Arnaz no era blanco? (2007)

See also

• List of impostors
• Rachel Dolezal
• Jessica Krug