Stacy Schiff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stacy Schiff
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Schiff in 2016
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| Born | Stacy Madeleine Schiff October 26, 1961 Adams, Massachusetts |
| Occupation | Writer and editor |
| Education | Phillips Academy (Andover) |
| Alma mater | Williams College |
| Genre | Biography, essay, non-fiction |
| Notable awards | Pulitzer Prize |
Stacy Madeleine Schiff (born October 26, 1961) is an American writer. She is famous for writing biographies, which are books about real people's lives. Her book about Véra Nabokov won the Pulitzer Prize in 2000. This is a very important award for writers.
Schiff has written about many interesting people. These include the French pilot and author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, who wrote The Little Prince. She also wrote about Benjamin Franklin, one of America's Founding Fathers. Other books cover Cleopatra, an ancient Egyptian queen, and the Salem Witch Trials from 1692.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Stacy Schiff was born in Adams, Massachusetts. Her father, Morton Schiff, ran a clothing store. Her mother, Ellen, was a professor of French literature.
Schiff went to Phillips Academy, a special preparatory school. Later, she earned her college degree from Williams College in 1982. Before becoming a full-time author, she worked as a senior editor at a publishing company called Simon & Schuster until 1990.
Career as an Author
Stacy Schiff is well-known for her detailed biographies. She has won several major awards for her writing.
Award-Winning Books
- Véra: In 2000, Schiff won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography for her book Véra. This book was about Véra Nabokov, who was the wife and inspiration for the famous Russian-American writer Vladimir Nabokov.
- Saint-Exupéry: She was also a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in 1995. This was for her book Saint-Exupéry: A Biography. It told the life story of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.
- A Great Improvisation: Her book A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America (2005) won the George Washington Book Prize. This book was even made into a TV show called Franklin in 2024.
- Cleopatra: In 2010, Schiff published Cleopatra: A Life. Many people praised this book. The New Yorker magazine called it "a work of literature." The book was listed as one of The New York Times Top Ten Books of 2010. It also won the 2011 PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography.
- The Witches: Schiff's book The Witches: Salem, 1692 came out in 2015. This book explored the famous Salem Witch Trials. The New York Times described it as a "thriller-like narrative."
Other Writings and Activities
Stacy Schiff's essays and articles have appeared in many important publications. These include The New Yorker and The New York Times. She used to write a regular column for The New York Times. Today, she lives in New York City. She is also a trustee for the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
Awards and Honors
Stacy Schiff has received many awards and honors for her work.
- 1995: Finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Saint-Exupéry: A Biography.
- 1996: Fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation.
- 2000: Won the Pulitzer Prize for Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov).
- 2006: Won the George Washington Book Prize for A Great Improvisation.
- 2011: Won the PEN/Jacqueline Bograd Weld Award for Biography for Cleopatra: A Life.
- 2018: Named Chevalier des Arts et Lettres by the French Ministry of Culture.
- 2019: Received the Peggy V. Helmerich Distinguished Author Award.
- 2024: Won the Colonial Dames of America Book Prize for The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams.
Works
Books
- Saint-Exupéry: A Biography (1994)
- Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) (1999)
- A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America (2005)
- Cleopatra: A Life (2010)
- The Witches: Salem, 1692 (2015)
- The Revolutionary: Samuel Adams (2022)
See also
In Spanish: Stacy Schiff para niños
