Michael Thomas (Man Gone Down author) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Michael Thomas
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| Born | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Master's degree |
| Alma mater | Hunter College |
| Notable works | Man Gone Down |
| Notable awards | International Dublin Literary Award (2009) |
| Children | Three |
Meet Michael Thomas, an American writer who won a huge award! In 2009, he received the International Dublin Literary Award for his very first novel, Man Gone Down. This amazing prize came with €100,000 (that's a lot of money!). Even The New York Times thought Man Gone Down was a great book.
Contents
About Michael Thomas
His Early Life and Education
Michael Thomas was born and grew up in Boston. He went to Hunter College in New York City for his first college degree. Later, he earned a master's degree from Warren Wilson College. Today, he teaches at Hunter College.
Life in New York City
Michael Thomas lives in New York City with his wife and three children. They live in Brooklyn. He jokes that he has never had a "proper job." But he has worked many different jobs! He has worked in bars and restaurants. He has also done construction work and delivered pizza. He even worked on movie sets and drove a taxi.
His Writing Journey
Before he became a famous novelist, Michael Thomas wrote poetry. He also performed as a singer and songwriter. Later, when he was in graduate school, he studied how to write fiction. His main project was a collection of short stories. One of these short stories later became his first novel.
His Award-Winning Book: Man Gone Down
Michael Thomas's first novel, Man Gone Down, won the International Dublin Literary Award on June 11, 2009. This award is one of the richest literary prizes in the world. Only the Nobel Prize in Literature offers more money. The prize is open to novels written in any language. Michael Thomas received €100,000 (about US$140,000 at the time).
He was only the third author to win this award with their very first novel. Other authors who won with their first book were Andrew Miller in 1999 and Rawi Hage in 2007.
What the Judges Said
The judges who picked Man Gone Down loved the book. They said it had "energy and warmth." They also felt it showed how people live today. Michael Thomas said he felt "a little desperate" while writing it.
Man Gone Down was chosen from a long list of 147 books. These books came from 41 different countries! It also beat out seven other books that made the final short list. Some of these books were by famous authors like Doris Lessing and Philip Roth. The National Library Service of Barbados nominated his book for the award. In 2007, The New York Times named Man Gone Down as one of its top ten books.
Michael Thomas went to the award ceremony in Dublin. He said he was "stunned" and couldn't believe he had won. He was surprised he even made it onto the short list! He planned to use the prize money to "pay some bills" and help with his house.
About the Story
The novel Man Gone Down is about an African-American man. He is trying to get his family back together. He needs to find a certain amount of money in four days. The story explores his journey to achieve the American Dream. Michael Thomas describes the book as having a "gallows humour," meaning it has a dark or serious kind of humor.
Michael Thomas is currently working on his second book. It will be a non-fiction book, meaning it will be based on facts and real events.
