Paul Harding (author)

Life and career

Paul Harding grew up on the North Shore of the Boston area in the town of Wenham, Massachusetts. In his youth, he spent a lot of time "knocking about in the woods," to which he attributes his love of nature. His grandfather repaired clocks, and he apprenticed under him, an experience that found its way into his first novel, Tinkers. Harding has a B.A. degree in English from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop, and has taught writing at Harvard University and the University of Iowa.

After graduating from the University of Massachusetts, he spent time touring with his band Cold Water Flat in the US and Europe. He had always been a heavy reader, and recalls reading Carlos Fuentes' Terra Nostra and thinking "this is what I want to do." In that book, Harding "saw the entire world, all of history." When he next had time off from touring with the band he signed up for a summer writing class at Skidmore College in New York. His teacher was Marilynne Robinson, and through her he learned about the Iowa Writers' Workshop writing program. There, he studied with Barry Unsworth, Elizabeth McCracken, and later Robinson. At some point, he realized some of the people he admired most were "profoundly religious," so he spent years reading theology and was "deeply" influenced by Karl Barth and John Calvin. He considers himself a "self-taught modern New England transcendentalist."

Musically, Harding admires jazz drummers and considers John Coltrane's drummer, Elvin Jones, the greatest. Harding was the drummer in the band Cold Water Flat throughout its existence from 1990 to 1996.

Harding's second novel, Enon (2013), concerns characters from his first novel, Tinkers, looking at the lives of George Crosby's grandson, Charlie Crosby, and his daughter Kate. His third novel, This Other Eden, was shortlisted for the 2023 Booker Prize and the 2023 National Book Award for Fiction.

In September 2024, Harding began teaching in the Department of Writing, Literature and Publishing at Emerson College.

Harding lives near Boston with his wife and two sons.

Awards and honors

Works

References

References

1. Forest, Rachel. (October 2010). "From Drum Set to Pulitzer". SeaCoast Online.
2. Cohen, Patricia. (September 23, 2010). "PEN American Center Names Award Winners". [[The New York Times]].
3. Clossey, Erin. (2024-06-21). "Emerson Names Two Distinguished Professors".
4. (3 October 2023). "Paul Harding's Latest Novel is a National Book Award Finalist". SBU News.
5. "Home Page". Lichtenstein Center.
6. Lydon, Christopher. (May 7, 2009). "Paul Harding's Magical 'Tinkers'". Radio Open Source.
7. Wragg, Carlin M.. (December 2009). "The Literary Horologist: Paul Harding 'Tinkers' With Time". Open Loop Press.
8. "Cold Water Flat". Allmusic.com.
9. Harris, Elizabeth A.. (October 3, 2023). "Here Are the Finalists for the 2023 National Book Awards".
10. (2010). "2010 Pulitzer Prizes". [[The Pulitzer Prizes]].
11. "2009 First Novel Prize".
12. "Los Angeles Times Book Prize 2009 {{!}} Bookreporter.com".
13. kanopi_admin. (2012-11-16). "2010 PEN/Robert Bingham Fellowships for Writers".
14. "2010 Pulitzer Prizes".
15. (2024-09-07). "Tinkers".
16. (2012-07-02). "Paul Harding, le mie storiesono perfette, finché non le scrivo".
17. "2014".
18. Anderson, Porter. (2023-09-21). "In England: The Booker Prize for Fiction Names Its 2023 Shortlist".
19. "The Chautauqua Prize".
20. (2024-01-16). "This Other Eden".
21. "2024 Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award".