Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver - University Of Arizona, Birthday and Personal Life

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Barbara Kingsolver Biography Stories 

Barbara Kingsolver's Personal Details

Barbara Kingsolver is an American novelist, poet, social activist, and author of the best-selling novel ‘The Poisonwood Bible’

InformationDetail
BirthdayApril 8, 1955
NationalityAmerican
FamousFeminists, Humanitarian, University Of Arizona, Writers, Poets, Novelists, Essayists
City/StateMaryland
SpousesJoseph Hoffmann (1985–1992), Steven Hopp (1994–present)
ChildrensCamille, Lily
Universities
  • University Of Arizona
Notable Alumnis
  • University Of Arizona
Birth PlaceAnnapolis, Maryland, United States
GenderFemale
Sun SignAries
Born inAnnapolis, Maryland, United States
Famous asNovelist, Poet, Essayist

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Barbara Kingsolver's photo

Who is Barbara Kingsolver?

Barbara Kingsolver is an American novelist, poet, social activist and author of the best-selling novel ‘The Poisonwood Bible’. A prolific writer, she was fond of writing since childhood and kept her journal from the age of eight. After receiving a fairly average education, she pursued post-graduation in science but also continued her passion of writing with short stories and essays. At the university, she got involved as a science writer for its journal and also took up a freelancing job in a local newspaper. But it was after winning a short story contest in a local Phoenix newspaper that she displayed her true brilliance as a writer through fiction writing. Since then, she has written many fictional masterpieces and has also received a fair success in writing essays, short stories, and poems. She primarily writes historical fiction, although many of her books also have a lot of scientific information in them because of her strong science background. Her books have garnered a lot of commercial and critical success which is due, in part, to the fact that she dedicates both her writing and her life to causes she cares about, including social justice and environmentalism. Her novels have been translated into two dozen languages and she has a cult following among the readers over the years. Her literary works continue to inspire, educate and entertain the readers, and she continues to receive appreciation for her flawless and exceptional writing.

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Childhood & Early Life

She was born on April 8, 1955 in Annapolis, Maryland, to Wendell R. Kingsolver, a physician, and his wife, Virginia, a homemaker. She spent most of her childhood in the rural areas of eastern Kentucky.

When she was seven, her family moved to Congo Léopoldville (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). Her parents worked at a public health capacity and used to live without electricity or running water.

After completing high school, she attended college in the DePauw University, Indiana, on a musical scholarship though she later switched to science. She became involved in social activism in college and protested against the Vietnam War. In 1977, she graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in science, majoring in biology.

After graduating, she traveled to France for a year and finally settled in Arizona. In 1980, she got enrolled at the University of Arizona and earned her master’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology.

Career

Initially, she tried working at numerous jobs such as a copy editor, archaeologist, x-ray technician, housekeeper, biological researcher and translator of medical documents.

Subsequently, her writing career began when she started working on the University of Arizona’s journal, as a science writer. Along with it, she also did some freelance feature writing for the local alternative weekly, the ‘Tucson Weekly’.

From 1985 to 1987, she worked as a freelance writer. Her first fiction novel ‘The Bean Trees’ was published in 1988 which received critical as well as commercial acclaim.

In 1989, she wrote a non-fiction work titled ‘Holding the Line: Women in the Great Arizona Mine Strike of 1983’. In subsequent years, she published her short story collection ‘Homeland and Other Stories’ (1989), and the novels ‘Animal Dreams’ (1990) and ‘Pigs in Heaven’ (1993).

In 1992, she published a collection of poetry titled ‘Another America/Otra America. She published her bestseller ‘High Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now and Never’ in 1995.

She published several other literary works including her novel ‘Prodigal Summer’ (2000), her essay collection called ‘Small Wonder: Essays’ (2002) and another book titled ‘Last Stand: America's Virgin Lands’ (2002).

In 2007, she published another non-fictional work titled ‘Animal, Vegetable, Miracle’. Her critically acclaimed novel ‘The Lacuna’ was published in 2009.

In 2012, she published her seventh novel, a New York Times Bestseller, ‘Flight Behavior’.

Major Works

In 1998, she published her most critically acclaimed novel ‘The Poisonwood Bible’, a story about an Evangelical Christian family on a mission in Africa. The novel became a best-seller and is considered her best-known work.

Awards & Achievements

In 1994, she was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from her alma mater, DePauw University.

She was awarded the National Book Prize of South Africa for her bestselling novel ‘The Poisonwood Bible’ (1998). She was also shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award for the novel.

In 2000, she received the ‘National Humanities Medal’ by the then U.S. President ‘Bill Clinton’.

In 2010, she became the winner of ‘Orange Prize for Fiction’ for her novel ‘The Lacuna’.

In 2011, she was awarded the ‘Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award’.

In 2014, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Library of Virginia to recognize her outstanding contributions to literature as a Virginian.

She is also the winner of several other notable awards including the ‘James Beard Award’, ‘Los Angeles Times Book Prize’, ‘Edward Abbey Eco Fiction Award’, ‘Physicians for Social Responsibility National Award’ and the ‘Arizona Civil Liberties Union Award’.

Personal Life & Legacy

In 1985, she married Joe Hoffman, a chemistry professor at the University of Arizona and gave birth to her daughter, Camille, in 1987. The couple got divorced in 1993.

In 1994, she married Steven Hopp, an ornithologist. They were blessed with a daughter, Lily, in 1996.

In 2000, she established the ‘Bellwether Prize for Fiction’ to honor extraordinary writers whose unpublished works promote positive social change. The award includes guaranteed major publication and a cash prize of US $25,000, fully funded by her.

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Barbara Kingsolver biography timelines

  • // 8th Apr 1955
    She was born on April 8, 1955 in Annapolis, Maryland, to Wendell R. Kingsolver, a physician, and his wife, Virginia, a homemaker. She spent most of her childhood in the rural areas of eastern Kentucky.
  • // 1977
    After completing high school, she attended college in the DePauw University, Indiana, on a musical scholarship though she later switched to science. She became involved in social activism in college and protested against the Vietnam War. In 1977, she graduated from college with a bachelor’s degree in science, majoring in biology.
  • // 1980
    After graduating, she traveled to France for a year and finally settled in Arizona. In 1980, she got enrolled at the University of Arizona and earned her master’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology.
  • // 1992 To 1995
    In 1992, she published a collection of poetry titled ‘Another America/Otra America. She published her bestseller ‘High Tide in Tucson: Essays from Now and Never’ in 1995.
  • // 1994
    In 1994, she was conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from her alma mater, DePauw University.
  • // 1994 To 1996
    In 1994, she married Steven Hopp, an ornithologist. They were blessed with a daughter, Lily, in 1996.
  • // 1998
    In 1998, she published her most critically acclaimed novel ‘The Poisonwood Bible’, a story about an Evangelical Christian family on a mission in Africa. The novel became a best-seller and is considered her best-known work.
  • // 1998
    She was awarded the National Book Prize of South Africa for her bestselling novel ‘The Poisonwood Bible’ (1998). She was also shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize and PEN/Faulkner Award for the novel.
  • // 2000
    In 2000, she received the ‘National Humanities Medal’ by the then U.S. President ‘Bill Clinton’.
  • // 2000
    In 2000, she established the ‘Bellwether Prize for Fiction’ to honor extraordinary writers whose unpublished works promote positive social change. The award includes guaranteed major publication and a cash prize of US $25,000, fully funded by her.
  • // 2007 To 2009
    In 2007, she published another non-fictional work titled ‘Animal, Vegetable, Miracle’. Her critically acclaimed novel ‘The Lacuna’ was published in 2009.
  • // 2010
    In 2010, she became the winner of ‘Orange Prize for Fiction’ for her novel ‘The Lacuna’.
  • // 2011
    In 2011, she was awarded the ‘Richard C. Holbrooke Distinguished Achievement Award’.
  • // 2012
    In 2012, she published her seventh novel, a New York Times Bestseller, ‘Flight Behavior’.
  • // 2014
    In 2014, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Library of Virginia to recognize her outstanding contributions to literature as a Virginian.

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Barbara Kingsolver's FAQ

  • What is Barbara Kingsolver birthday?

    Barbara Kingsolver was born at 1955-04-08

  • Where is Barbara Kingsolver's birth place?

    Barbara Kingsolver was born in Annapolis, Maryland, United States

  • What is Barbara Kingsolver nationalities?

    Barbara Kingsolver's nationalities is American

  • Who is Barbara Kingsolver spouses?

    Barbara Kingsolver's spouses is Joseph Hoffmann (1985–1992), Steven Hopp (1994–present)

  • Who is Barbara Kingsolver childrens?

    Barbara Kingsolver's childrens is Camille, Lily

  • What was Barbara Kingsolver universities?

    Barbara Kingsolver studied at University Of Arizona

  • What was Barbara Kingsolver notable alumnis?

    Barbara Kingsolver's notable alumnis is University Of Arizona

  • What is Barbara Kingsolver's sun sign?

    Barbara Kingsolver is Aries

  • How famous is Barbara Kingsolver?

    Barbara Kingsolver is famouse as Novelist, Poet, Essayist