Ben Fountain is a highly acclaimed American author, best known for his work in fiction. He has had his writings featured in various prestigious publications such as Harper’s, The Paris Review, and Zoetrope: All Story. Fountain’s exceptional work has earned him numerous accolades, including an O. Henry Prize, two Pushcart Prizes, and the PEN/Hemingway Award. He currently resides in Dallas, Texas, with his wife and their two children.
Born in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, in 1958, Fountain spent his childhood years in Elizabeth City before moving to Cary near Raleigh at the age of thirteen. After completing his education at UNC-Chapel Hill and Duke University Law School, he worked as an attorney in private practice. However, his passion for writing led him to abandon his legal career and focus on storytelling. Fountain’s fiction has appeared in several esteemed outlets, including Harper’s, The Paris Review, and Zoetrope: All-Story.
Fountain’s novel, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk, was widely recognized and received several awards. These include the National Book Critics’ Circle Award, the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Award, the PEN/New England Cerulli Award for Excellence in Sports Writing, and the Jesse Jones Award for fiction from the Texas Institute of Letters. The book was also a finalist for the National Book Award in both the US and the UK (international authors division). In 2016, the film adaptation of Billy Lynn, directed by three-time Oscar winner Ang Lee, was released by Sony Pictures. Fountain’s short story collection, Brief Encounters with Che Guevara, won the PEN/Hemingway Award, the Barnes & Noble Discover Award for Fiction, and a Whiting Writers Award. His short fiction has been published in various anthologies, including Harper’s, Zoetrope: All-Story, the Paris Review, Esquire, the Sewanee Review, DALLAS NOIR, and HAITI NOIR II. Fountain’s nonfiction has been featured in several publications, including the New York Times, the New York Times Magazine, the Guardian, the Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, Texas Monthly, and elsewhere. His reportage on post-earthquake Haiti was broadcast on the radio show This American Life. Fountain’s upcoming nonfiction book, Beautiful Country Burn Again, is set to be published by Ecco/HarperCollins in September 2018.