Nationality American Name Richard Russo Spouse Barbara Russo | Education University of Arizona Role Novelist Children Kate Russo, Emily Russo | |
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Born July 15, 1949 (age 74)
Johnstown, New York ( 1949-07-15 ) Occupation Novelist, Screenwriter, Short-Story Writer Notable works Empire Falls, Nobody's Fool, Straight Man Notable awards 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction Movies Nobody's Fool, Empire Falls, Keeping Mum, Twilight Books Empire Falls, Straight Man, Bridge of Sighs, The Risk Pool, Nobody's fool Similar People Robert Benton, Niall Johnson, Paul Newman, Fred Schepisi, Heidi Pitlor Profiles | ||
Conversation novelist richard russo
Richard Russo (born July 15, 1949) is an American novelist, short story writer, screenwriter, and teacher.
Contents
Richard russo at the 2009 texas book festival austin tx
Early life and education
Russo was born in Johnstown, New York, and raised in nearby Gloversville. He earned a Bachelor's degree, a Master of Fine Arts degree, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Arizona, which he attended from 1967 through 1979.
Career
He was teaching in the English department at Southern Illinois University Carbondale when his first novel, Mohawk, was published in 1986. Much of his work has been semi-autobiographical, drawing on his life from his upbringing in upstate New York to his time teaching literature at Colby College (subsequently retired). He now lives and writes in Camden, Maine.
His 2001 novel Empire Falls received the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. He has written six other novels and a short story collection. Russo co-wrote the 1998 film Twilight with director Robert Benton, who also adapted and directed Russo's Nobody's Fool into a 1994 film of the same title, starring Paul Newman. Russo wrote the teleplay for the HBO adaptation of Empire Falls, the screenplay for the 2005 film Ice Harvest, and the screenplay for the 2005 Niall Johnson film Keeping Mum, which starred Rowan Atkinson.
Personal life
Russo and his wife, Barbara, live in Camden, Maine, and spend winters in Boston. The couple have two daughters, Kate and Emily.
Works
Filmography
Quotes
Ultimately - your theme will find you You don't have to go looking for it
HBO is really famous for hiring good people and staying out of their way until they ask for help - or need it And that reputation is earned
My books are elegiac in the sense that they're odes to a nation that even I sometimes think may not exist any except in my memory and my imagination