David Guterson is an acclaimed American author, well-known for his literary fiction novels, short stories, poems, and essays. He was born in Seattle, Washington, and received his M.A. from the University of Washington. Guterson is a Guggenheim Fellow and a former contributing editor to Harper’s magazine. He is also a co-founder of Field’s End, an organization that supports writers.
Guterson was born on May 4, 1956, in Seattle, Washington, and is the third child of Murray and Shirley Guterson. His father, a criminal lawyer, had a significant impact on Guterson's life, shaping many of his fundamental beliefs and philosophies. As a child, Guterson spent most of his time outdoors, developing a love for fishing that remains one of his favorite pastimes. During his teenage years, he was something of a delinquent, but this experience motivated him to become more proactive during his college years.
Guterson is best known for his novel Snow Falling on Cedars, which won the 1995 PEN/Faulkner Award and has sold nearly four million copies. The novel was adapted into a film in 1999, directed by Scott Hicks and starring Ethan Hawke. Guterson has written several other novels, including East of the Mountains, Our Lady of the Forest, and The Other. He has also published a collection of short stories, The Country Ahead of Us, the Country Behind, and a book of essays on education called Family Matters: Why Homeschooling Makes Sense. Additionally, Guterson has written two books of poetry.
In total, Guterson has authored twelve books, including six novels, two story collections, two works of non-fiction, and two books of poetry. His writing is celebrated for its atmospheric intensity, narrative drive, and probing exploration of fundamental human themes, such as love, death, meaning, and morality. Guterson was born in Washington State and continues to reside there.