Jodi Picoult

Jodi Picoult
Picoult served as the 2013 Harry Middleton Lecturer at the LBJ Presidential Library
Born Jodi Lynn Picoult
(1966-05-19) May 19, 1966
Nesconset, Long Island, New York, United States
Occupation Novelist
Nationality American
Period 1992–present
Spouse Timothy Warren Van Leer (m. 1989; 3 children)
Website
jodipicoult.com

Jodi Lynn Picoult (/ˈdʒoʊdi ˈpiːkoʊ/;[1] born May 19, 1966) is an American writer. She was awarded the New England Bookseller Award for fiction in 2003.[2] Currently approximately 14 million copies of her books are in print worldwide, translated into 34 languages.[3]

Early life

Picoult was born in Nesconset, New York, on Long Island, and raised there by her parents; she has one younger brother.[4] Her family moved to New Hampshire when she was 13 years old. She has described her family as "non-practicing Jewish".[5] Picoult wrote her first story at age five, entitled "The Lobster Which Misunderstood". Picoult's mother and grandmother were both teachers, and she says that their influence on her was very important.[4]

Education

She studied creative writing at Princeton University with Mary Morris, and graduated in 1987. She published two short stories in Seventeen magazine while still in college. Immediately after graduation, she began a variety of jobs, ranging from editing textbooks to teaching eighth-grade English. She earned a master's degree in education from Harvard University. Picoult has two honorary Doctor of Letters degrees; one from Dartmouth College in 2010, the other from the University of New Haven in 2012.

In 2016, Picoult was selected to be Princeton's Class Day Speaker before commencement.[6]

Career

Picoult became the writer of the DC Comics series Wonder Woman (vol. 3), following the departure of Allan Heinberg.[7][8] Her first issue (number 6) was released on March 28, 2007, and her last was issue number 10, released on June 27, 2007.

Nineteen Minutes, Picoult's novel about the aftermath of a school shooting in a small town, was her first book to debut at number 1 on the New York Times best-seller list. Her book Change of Heart, published on March 4, 2008, was her second novel to debut at number 1 on that list.[9] Handle with Care in 2009 and House Rules in 2010 also reached number 1 on the Times best-seller list.

Advocacy

In 2016, Picoult joined the advisory board of Vida: Women in Literary Arts,[10] a "non-profit feminist organization committed to creating transparency around the lack of gender parity in the literary landscape and to amplifying historically-marginalized voices, including people of color; writers with disabilities; and queer, trans and gender nonconforming individuals".[11] Picoult's website says that VIDA: Women in Literary Arts is a research-driven organization.

She was a member of the inaugural Writers Council of the National Writing Project in 2013,[12] an organization which recognizes the "universality of writing as a communicative tool and helps teachers enhance student writing".[13] This inaugural group consisted of 30 published authors.

She was a spokesperson for Positive Tracks,[14] which empowers young people to fundraise through the power of athletics and partners with other charitable organizations.

In 2010, Picoult led the 5th Annual Children's Hospital at Dartmouth Hero Half Marathon & Relay 5K Walk around Occum Pond and through the town of Hanover, New Hampshire.[15]

She is a member of the Advisory Committee for the New Hampshire Coalition Against the Death Penalty,[16] an organization seeking to end the death penalty in the state of New Hampshire through outreach, education and advocacy.

She was the co-founder, with Marjorie Rose, of the Trumbull Hall Troupe in 2004 as a means of providing children with a fun, educational theatre experience. Children from grade 6 through grade 12 audition to be in an original musical written by Picoult and the composer Ellen Wilber. The proceeds are donated to local charities.[17] The organization's contributions since its founding have exceeded $120,000.

On January 21, 2017, Picoult spoke at the New Hampshire Women's Day of Action and Unity in support of the Women's March on Washington.[18][19][20][21]

Honors and awards

  • New England Bookseller Award for Fiction (2003) [22]
  • Alex Award from the Young Adult Library Services Association (2005) [23]
  • Book Browse Diamond Award for novel of the year (2005) [24]
  • Lifetime Achievement Award for mainstream fiction from the Romance Writers of America
  • Fearless Fiction Award from Cosmopolitan magazine (2007) [25]
  • Waterstone's Author of the Year (UK)
  • Vermont Green Mountain Book Award (2007) [26]
  • New Hampshire Granite State Book Award
  • Virginia Reader's Choice Award (2007)[27]
  • Abraham Lincoln Illinois High School Book Award (2006) [28]
  • Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Award (2007) [29]
  • New Hampshire Literary Award for Outstanding Literary Merit (2013–14)
  • Princeton University Our Most Influential Alumni Award.[30]

Personal life

Picoult has been married to Timothy Warren van Leer, whom she met in college, since 1989.[31] They and their three children, Samantha van Leer, Kyle Ferreira van Leer, and Jake van Leer, live in Hanover, New Hampshire.

Recurring characters

"It's always great fun to bring a character back, because you get to catch up on his/her life; and you don’t have to reinvent the wheel—you already know how he speaks, acts, thinks."[32]

Bibliography

Film and television adaptations

References

  1. ↑ "Jodi Picoult: Leaving Time". Nat Geo Live. National Geographic. December 1, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2018.
  2. ↑ "New England Book Awards". New England Independent Booksellers Association. Archived from the original on October 2, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  3. ↑ Yabroff, Jennie (April 11, 2009). "Does Jodi Picoult Hurt Literature?". Newsweek. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  4. 1 2 Moor head, Joanna (July 17, 2009). "My Family Values". The Guardian (interview). ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  5. ↑ "A Conversation with Jodi About Keeping Faith". JodiPicoult.com. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
  6. ↑ "Novelist Picoult Selected as 2016 Class Day Speaker". Princeton.edu. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  7. ↑ "Bestselling Author Tackles Comic Books: Bestselling Novelist Jodi Picoult Writing 'Wonder Woman'". CNN.com. April 26, 2007. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  8. ↑ Wood, Sean M. (March 26, 2007). "Novelist Takes a Comic Turn". San Antonio News.
  9. ↑ Cowles, Gregory. "Print & E-Books". New York Times.
  10. ↑ "VIDA Welcomes Jodi Picoult to Its Advisory Board!". VIDAweb.org. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  11. ↑ "About VIDA". Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  12. ↑ "National Writing Project Launches Writers Council to Draw Attention to the Importance of Writing". NWP.org. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  13. ↑ Taylor, James. "Jodi Picoult · Biographical sketch". JodiPicoult.com. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  14. ↑ "Grassroot Soccer and Positive Tracks Expand Partnership". GrassrootSoccer.org. 2014-01-13. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  15. ↑ "Bestselling Author Jodi Picoult Will Lead 5th Annual CHaD Hero Half Marathon & Relay 5K Walk". Dartmouth-Hitchcock.org. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  16. ↑ "Board of Directors and Advisory Committee". NoDeathPenaltyNH.org. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  17. ↑ "About Us". TrumbullHallTroupe.com. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  18. ↑ Taylor, James. "Book Tours, Book Signings, Special Events, and Appearances". JodiPicoult.com. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  19. ↑ Duffort, Lola (22 January 2017). "Thousands Gather at State House for N.H.'s Version of Women's March". Concord Monitor. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
  20. ↑ Tuohy, Dan. "Picoult to Speak at Women's Rally at State House". New Hampshire Union Leader. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  21. ↑ "Massive Women's March Turnouts Prompt Change of Plans in D.C., Chicago". CBSNews.com. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  22. ↑ "New England Book Awards". NewEnglandBooks.org. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  23. ↑ "2005 Alex Awards". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA), ALA.org. 2007-07-30. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  24. ↑ "Current and Previous Winners of the BookBrowse Awards". BookBrowse.com. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  25. ↑ "Cosmo Celebrates Fun and Fearless Fiction". Adage.com. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  26. ↑ "Green Mountain Book Award". Department of Libraries, Libraries.Vermont.gov. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  27. ↑ "Past Winners". Virginia State Reading Association, VSRA.org. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  28. ↑ "Lincoln Award Past Winners". Google Docs. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  29. ↑ "Past Winners". Maryland Association of School Librarians, MASLMD.org. Retrieved 2017-04-21.
  30. ↑ "Our Most Influential Alumni". Princeton Alumni Weekly. 29 December 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  31. ↑ "Jodi Picoult Weds Timothy van Leer". New York Times. November 19, 1989. Retrieved 2007-05-29.
  32. ↑ "Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult". Jodipicoult.com. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  33. ↑ "THE PI-CULT: December, 2007 – Edition". Jodipicoult.com. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  34. ↑ "novels about family, relationships, love, & more". Jodi Picoult. Retrieved 2011-05-10.
  35. ↑ Gay, Roxanne (2016-10-11). "Jodi Picoult's New Novel Reviewed by Roxanne Gay". NYTimes.com. The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-10-16.
Preceded by
Will Pfeifer		 Wonder Woman writer
2007		 Succeeded by
J. Torres
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