David Guterson

David Guterson (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell; born May 4, 1956) is an American novelist, short story writer, poet, journalist, and essayist. He is best known as the author of the bestselling Japanese American internment novel Snow Falling on Cedars (1994).

Early life

Guterson was born MayTemplate:Nbsp4, 1956 in Seattle, Washington, the son of criminal defense lawyer Murray Guterson.<ref name=BN>Template:Cite web</ref> He attended Seattle Public Schools and Roosevelt High School, then the University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in English literature and a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing.<ref name=Uni>Template:Cite web</ref> He is also a Guggenheim Fellow.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Teaching, writing

Before writing professionally, Guterson worked as a teacher for 10 years at Bainbridge High School.<ref name=NYT /> During that time he began having stories and essays published in small magazines and periodicals, and eventually sold pieces to Esquire, Sports Illustrated and Harper's Magazine.<ref name=BN /> His first book, The Country Ahead of Us, the Country Behind (1989) is a collection of short stories set mostly in the Pacific Northwest.<ref name=Globe /> His second book, Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense (1992) contains essays on family and education.<ref name=NYT />

Guterson's freelance journalism included articles on environmental issues, travel writing and human interest features.<ref>University of Maine, Farmington; David Guterson biography Template:Webarchive</ref>

Snow Falling on Cedars, subsequent work

Guterson is best known as the author of Snow Falling on Cedars (1994),<ref name=Globe>Template:Cite web</ref> for which he received the 1995 PEN/Faulkner Award.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> To date, it has sold nearly four million copies<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and was adapted into the 1999 film of the same title.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

His subsequent novels include East of the Mountains (1999),<ref name=East /> which was adapted into a movie of the same title in 2021, Our Lady of the Forest (2003),<ref name=Lady /> The Other (2008)<ref name=Other /> and Ed King (2011).<ref name=Mama />

Personal life

Guterson married his wife Robin when he was 23. They live on Bainbridge Island in Puget Sound<ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref name=biahc>Template:Citation</ref> and have five children and three grandchildren.<ref name=Uni /> He is a co-founder of Field's End, an organization for writers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Bibliography

• The Country Ahead of Us, the Country Behind: Stories (1989)<ref name=Globe />
• Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense (Non-fiction) (1992)<ref name=NYT>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Snow Falling on Cedars (1994)<ref name=Globe />
• The Drowned Son (Stories)(1996)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• East of the Mountains (1999)<ref name=East>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Our Lady of the Forest (2003)<ref name=Lady>Template:Cite web</ref>
• The Other (2008)<ref name=Other>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Ed King (2011)<ref name=Mama>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Songs for a Summons (Poetry) (Feb. 10, 2014)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• Problems with People: Stories (June 3, 2014)<ref name=Globe />
• Turn Around Time: A Walking Poem for the Pacific Northwest (September 2019)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
• The Final Case (January 11, 2022)<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• David Guterson biography
• David Guterson on fantasticfiction.co.uk
• Template:Usurped at the Internet Book List
• [1] Review of East of the Mountains (film) at rogertebert.com