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Willie Perdomo
Willie-perdomo.jpg
Born 1967 (age 57–58)
New York, New York
Occupation Writer/Teacher
Nationality Puerto Rican
Genre Poetry
Notable awards PEN/Open Book Award

Willie Perdomo (born in 1967) is a talented Puerto Rican writer. He is known for his amazing poetry and has written several books. His works often explore themes related to his background and experiences.

Willie Perdomo has written many popular poetry collections. Some of his well-known books include Smoking Lovely: The Remix (2021) and The Crazy Bunch (2019). He also wrote The Essential Hits of Shorty Bon Bon (2014), which was a finalist for a major award called the National Book Critics Circle Awards.

One of his books, Where a Nickel Costs a Dime, was also a finalist for the Poetry Society of America Norma Farber First Book Award in 1996. His book Smoking Lovely (2003) won the PEN Beyond Margins Award, which is now known as the PEN/Open Book Award.

Besides his poetry for adults, Willie Perdomo also wrote a children's book called Visiting Langston. This book received the Coretta Scott King Honor, which is a special award for books by African American authors and illustrators.

Perdomo has received many other important awards for his writing. These include the Academy of American Poets Laureate Fellowship and the New York City Book Award in 2019. He also won the Foundation for Contemporary Arts Cy Twombly Award for Poetry. He was even given a Poetry Fellowship by the New York Foundation for the Arts in both 2001 and 2009.

Currently, Willie Perdomo teaches English at Phillips Exeter Academy. In 2021, he was given the special title of State Poet of New York, which he held until 2023.

About Willie Perdomo

Willie Perdomo was born in 1967 and grew up in East Harlem, a neighborhood in New York City. He studied writing and earned a master's degree from Long Island University (LIU) in Brooklyn.

In 2021, he was honored with the title of State Poet of New York. This means he was recognized as a leading poet in the state. Today, Willie Perdomo lives in Exeter, New Hampshire.

Awards and Special Honors

Willie Perdomo has been recognized with several important awards for his writing. These honors show how much his work is appreciated in the world of poetry.

Major Recognitions

  • In 2014, his book The Essential Hits of Shorty Bon Bon was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award in the Poetry category. This is a very prestigious award for writers.
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