Shirley Ann Grau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Shirley Ann Grau
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Grau in 1965
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| Born | July 8, 1929 New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | August 3, 2020 (aged 91) Kenner, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Alma mater | Newcomb College |
| Years active | 1955–2006 |
| Notable works | The Keepers of the House |
| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (1965) |
| Spouse |
James K. Feibleman
(m. 1955; died 1987) |
| Children | 4 |
Shirley Ann Grau (July 8, 1929 – August 3, 2020) was an American writer. She was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her stories and novels often took place in the Deep South of the United States. They explored important topics like race and gender.
In 1965, Shirley Ann Grau won the famous Pulitzer Prize for Fiction for her novel The Keepers of the House. This book was set in a made-up town in Alabama.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Shirley Ann Grau was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, on July 8, 1929. She spent parts of her childhood growing up in places like Montgomery and Selma, Alabama.
She went to Newcomb College, which was a women's college connected to Tulane University. In 1950, she graduated with a college degree. She was also part of Phi Beta Kappa, an honor society for smart students.
Writing Career Highlights
Shirley Ann Grau started her writing career with a collection of short stories. This book was called The Black Prince. It was nominated for the National Book Award for Fiction in 1956.
Nine years later, her novel The Keepers of the House won the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. This book tells the story of a family and deals with a marriage between people of different races. At the time, such marriages were against the law in some places. The story also looks at what happens when mixed-race children later live as if they are white.
When she got the call about winning the Pulitzer Prize, she thought it was a joke. She had been up all night with one of her children and was very tired. She even hung up the phone! The Pulitzer committee had to call her publisher to finally give her the good news.
Main Themes in Her Work
Shirley Ann Grau is known for her writing about the Deep South. Her stories often focused on the lives of women. She is seen as an important writer in the areas of women's studies and Southern literature. Her books helped people think about different points of view.
Family Life
In 1955, Shirley Ann Grau married James K. Feibleman. He was also a writer and a philosophy professor at Tulane University. Even though she legally took his last name, she kept using "Grau" for her books.
They had four children together: two sons named Ian and William, and two daughters named Nora and Katherine. The family lived in Metairie, near New Orleans. James Feibleman passed away in 1987.
Shirley Ann Grau died on August 3, 2020, in Kenner, Louisiana. She was 91 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Shirley Ann Grau para niños
