Robert Goolrick
Robert Goolrick (born 1948 in Virginia) is an American writer whose first novel sold more than five million copies.[1]
Robert Goolrick | |
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Born | 1948 Virginia |
Nationality | American |
Genre | novels, memoir |
Biography
Robert Goolrick grew up in the 1950s in the small college town of Lexington, Virginia. His father was a college professor. His mother was a homemaker, and he had two siblings. When Goolrick lost his job as an advertising copywriter, he turned to memoir writing.[2] He wrote a memoir and his parents disinherited him, so he moved to New York.[3] The End of the World As We Know It: Scenes from a Life highlighted "the excesses and failures of both the social underpinnings of the time and his parents' inevitable alcohol-fueled decline, culminating in a devastating portrayal of the sexual abuse he suffered as a child." He sought "something resembling peace" in his writing.[4] After years living in New York City, he returned to Virginia.[5] In 2015 he moved from Whitestone, Virginia to Weems, Virginia.[6] He reads from his book "A Reliable Wife" in a video posted for his Facebook followers to which he added, "For people who can't come to a bookstore, this is what I look like and what I sound like, thanks to my friend Ashraf Meer."[7]
Works
- 2007: The End of the World as We Know It: Scenes from a Life, Algonquin Books, ISBN 978-1565124813
- 2009: A Reliable Wife, Algonquin Books, ISBN 978-1565125964
- 2012: Heading Out to Wonderful, Algonquin Books, ISBN 978-1565129238
- 2015: The Fall of Princes, Algonquin Books, ISBN 978-1616204204
- 2018: The Dying of the Light, Harper, ISBN 978-0062678225
Works translated into French
- 2009: Une femme simple et honnête, [« A Reliable Wife »], translation by Marie de Prémonville, Paris, Éditions Anne Carrière, 413 p. ISBN 978-2-84337-542-2
- 2010: Féroces, [« The End of the World as We Know It: Scenes from a Life »], translated by Marie de Prémonville, Éditions Anne Carrière, 254 p. ISBN 978-2-8433-7579-8.[8]
- 2012: Arrive un vagabond, [« Heading Out to Wonderful »], translation by Marie de Prémonville, Éditions Anne Carrière, 319 p. ISBN 978-2-84337-681-8
- - Prix Laurent-Bonelli Virgin-Lire 2012
- - Grand prix des lectrices de Elle 2013.[9]
Book recommendations by Goolrick for children
Robert Goolrick listed his six favorite books for children: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain; Oh, the Places You'll Go! by Dr. Seuss; Canada by Richard Ford; The Patrick Melrose Novels by Edward St. Aubyn; The Family Fang by Kevin Wilson; and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris.[11]
Prizes
- 2013: Grand prix des lectrices de Elle for Arrive un vagabond (Heading Out to Wonderful)
- 2015: Prix Fitzgerald for La Chute des princes
References
- "Robert Goolrick | Bookreporter.com". www.bookreporter.com. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
- "Robert Goolrick". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 26 January 2018.
- Forest, Epping. "Biography". www.eppingforestantiques.com. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
- "Robert Goolrick, author of the best-seller A Reliable Wife, talks about writing as the path to something resembling peace". Nashville Scene. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
- "Shelf Awareness for Readers for Friday, June 15, 2012". www.shelf-awareness.com. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
- "Robert Goolrick | Kirkus Reviews". Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved 3 November 2016.
- "Robert Goolrick". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 27 January 2018.
- André Clavel (Lire). "L'autobiographie de Robert Goolrick". Retrieved 20 January 2017.
- Claire Julliard. "Robert Goolrick, c'est good". Retrieved 20 January 2017.
- ""La chute des princes" de Robert Goolrick: Icare au royaume du dollar". Retrieved 20 January 2017.
- "Robert Goolrick's 6 favorite books about childhood". Retrieved 3 November 2016.
External links
- Beautiful People, Wretched Childhood on The New York Times
- Robert Goolrick, author of the best-seller A Reliable Wife, talks about writing as the path to something resembling peace on Nashville scene
- Robert Goolrick on KirKus
- Goolrick's life spins from 'tortured' to 'Wonderful' on USA Today
- Robert Goolrick > Quotes on Goodreads
- 'A Reliable Wife' by Robert Goolrick on {Washington Post (8 April 2009)
- Robert Goolrick on Book reporter
- The End of the World as We Know It: Scenes from a Life by Robert Goolrick on bookslut.com