Wayne Karlin facts for kids

Wayne Karlin (born June 13, 1945) is an American writer, editor, and teacher. He has written many books, including The Genizah, A Wolf by the Ears, and Wandering Souls. His stories and essays have appeared in various literary magazines.

Early Life and Military Service

Wayne Karlin grew up in New York and went to White Plains High School. After high school, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1963. He served until 1967 and left the Marines as a sergeant.

During his time in the military, he received several awards. These included the Vietnam Service Medal and the Air Medal. He also earned a Presidential Unit Citation.

Education and Studies

After his military service, Karlin continued his education. In 1970, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities. He received this degree from the American College in Jerusalem. Later, in 1976, he completed his Master's degree in Creative Writing. He earned this degree from Goddard College.

Professional Career and Writing

Wayne Karlin taught for over thirty years at the College of Southern Maryland. He retired as a Professor Emeritus, which means he was honored for his long service.

He was also an important editor for the Curbstone Press. He worked on their "Voices from Vietnam" book series. This series helped share stories from both Vietnamese and American writers.

Editing and Collaborations

As an editor, Karlin worked on several books in the "Voices from Vietnam" series. He co-edited The Other Side of Heaven: Postwar Fiction by Vietnamese and American Writers in 1995. He worked with Lê Minh Khuê and Truong Lu on this book.

Other books he edited or co-edited include:

• The Stars, The Earth, The River: Short Fiction by Lê Minh Khuê (1997)
• Behind the Red Mist: Fiction by Hồ Anh Thái (1998)
• Against the Flood, a novel by Ma Văn Kháng (2000)
• Past Continuous, a novel by Nguyễn Khải (2001)
• The Cemetery of Chua Village and Other Stories by Đoàn Lê (2005)
• Love After War: Contemporary Fiction from Viet Nam, co-edited with Hồ Anh Thái (2003)
• An Insignificant Family, by Dạ Ngân (2009)
• Apocalypse Bell, by Hồ Anh Thái (2012)

Karlin also helped adapt and edit a memoir called In Whose Eyes. This book was written by a Vietnamese filmmaker.

Film Work

Wayne Karlin also worked in the film industry. He was one of the script writers for the movie Song of the Stork. This film was a joint project between Vietnam and Singapore. He also served as a technical consultant for the movie. He even acted in the film. Song of the Stork won awards at several film festivals in Europe and Asia.

Published Works

Karlin's short stories and essays have been collected in many books. They have also appeared in various literary magazines. Some of these magazines include Glimmer Train, Indiana Review, Michigan Quarterly Review, North American Review, and Prairie Schooner.

Personal Life

Wayne Karlin lives in Saint Mary's County, Maryland. He was married to Ohnmar Thein Karlin for 44 years. She passed away in 2020. They have one son.