June 2019 Notable Maryland Author Anne Tyler

Anne Tyler

“I read so I can live more than one life in more than one place.” Anne Tyler

Anne Tyler was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1941 to Quaker parents, homeschooled till 11, graduated from high school at 16, attended Swarthmore College, and transferred to Duke when she was awarded a full scholarship. She graduated at age 19. Anne started writing short stories at Duke, where her talent was recognized, and continued writing through marriage, moving to Baltimore in 1967, and 2 kids. In 1970, she began writing novels and had written three by the end of 1974.

Tyler has written 20 novels, six of which have been made into movies. Her novel Breathing Lessons won the Pulitzer Prize and The Accidental Tourist and Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant were both finalists for the Pulitzer. Michiko Kakutani, Pulitzer Prize-winning critic for The New York Times, commented, "the central concern of most of this author's characters has always been their need to define themselves in terms of family — the degree to which they see themselves as creatures shaped by genetics, childhood memories and parental and spousal expectations, and the degree to which they are driven to embrace independent identities of their own.”

Genre: DRAMA - Family

A genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone, focusing on in-depth development of realistic characters who must deal with realistic emotional struggles.

A partial reading list of Anne Tyler’s novels includes: The Accidental Tourist, Breathing Lessons, Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant, Vinegar Girl, and Clock Dance

Writer's Prompt - Fun With Words

Maryland Writers’ Association (MWA) invites you to have fun writing part of a Drama-Family using just 100 words. Pick and name two characters and show them dealing with realistic emotional issues that center around their need to define themselves in terms of family. Have Fun and send us your result.

Submit Your FUN WITH WORDS Prompt

Submit by the 25th of the month and receive an MWA Fun With Words Submission Certificate.  Selected submissions may be published the following month.