Helen DeWitt
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Helen DeWitt (born 1957 in Takoma Park, Maryland, a suburb of Washington, D.C.) is a novelist.
DeWitt grew up primarily in South America (Mexico, Brazil, Columbia and Ecuador[1]), as her parents worked in the United States diplomatic service. After two short periods at Smith College DeWitt studied classics at the University of Oxford, first at Lady Margaret Hall, and then at Brasenose College for her D.Phil.
DeWitt is best known for her acclaimed debut novel, The Last Samurai. She held a variety of jobs while struggling to finish a book, including a dictionary text tagger, a copytaker, and Dunkin' Donuts employee. During this time she reportedly attempted to finish many novels, before finally completing The Last Samurai, her 50th manuscript, in 1998.[1]
In 2005 she collaborated with Ingrid Kerma, the London-based painter, writing "limit5" for the exhibition "Blushing Brides".
In 2004, DeWitt went missing from her home in Staten Island home after sending a suicidal e-mail to family and friends.[2] She was found unharmed a few days later at Niagara Falls.[3]
DeWitt now lives in Berlin.
[edit] Novels
- The Last Samurai (2000)
- YOUR NAME HERE (2007)
[edit] References
- ^ a b Macgowan, James. "After 50 attempts, Helen DeWitt's brainy prose gets brawny cash advances", The Ottawa Citizen, CanWest Interactive, 2000-10-15. Retrieved on January 23, 2007.
- ^ Tavernise, Sabrina. "Metro Briefing New York: Staten Island: Novelist Is Reported Missing", New York Times - Late Edition, 2004-05-26. Retrieved on January 23, 2007.
- ^ Lemire. "Suicidal author found alive in Niagara Falls", New York Daily News, 2004-05-27. Retrieved on January 23, 2007.
