Saeed Jones facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Saeed Jones
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Saeed Jones at BookExpo 2019
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| Born | November 26, 1985 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Western Kentucky University (BA) Rutgers University–Newark (MFA) |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Pushcart Prize |
Saeed Jones (born November 26, 1985) is an American writer and poet. He is known for his powerful writing. His first poetry book, Prelude to Bruise, was a finalist for a major award in 2014. His second book, a memoir called How We Fight for Our Lives, won the Kirkus Prize in 2019.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Saeed Jones was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He grew up in Lewisville, Texas. He went to Western Kentucky University for his college degree. Later, he earned a special writing degree (MFA) from Rutgers University–Newark.
Writing Career
Poetry Collections
Jones released his first small book of poems in 2011. It was called When the Only Light is Fire. This book became very popular in the "Gay Poetry" section on Amazon.
In 2014, Jones published his first full poetry book, Prelude to Bruise. Many critics praised it. NPR called it "brilliant" and "affecting." TIME Magazine suggested reading it quickly because it was so "engrossing." This book was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for poetry in 2014.
In September 2022, Jones released another poetry collection. This one was titled Alive at the End of the World.
Jones has won several important awards for his poetry. These include the Pushcart Prize and the Joyce Osterwell Award. He also won the Stonewall Book Award. He has been featured on TV shows like PBS NewsHour.
Prose and Other Works
Before focusing fully on his books, Jones worked at BuzzFeed. He helped start their LGBT section. He also became an executive editor for culture. While at BuzzFeed, he co-hosted a morning show called AM to DM. He also wrote an advice column called "Dear Ferocity."
His memoir, How We Fight for Our Lives, came out in 2019. A memoir is a book about a person's own life experiences. The New Yorker described the book's style as "urgent" and "matter of fact." NPR called it an "outstanding memoir." The book won the Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction in 2019. It also won a Lambda Literary Award in 2020.
In 2022, Jones was interviewed on the Storybound (podcast). He is also one of the hosts of the Vibe Check podcast.
Personal Life
Saeed Jones lives in Columbus, Ohio. He was raised practicing Nichiren Buddhism, and he continues to follow this path today.
See also
In Spanish: Saeed Jones para niños
