Jeff VanderMeer

Jeff VanderMeer is a highly regarded American author, known for his original and often weird storytelling. He is perhaps best recognized for his Southern Reach series, which includes the novel Annihilation. This book was adapted into a film by Paramount Pictures, featuring well-known actress Natalie Portman and directed by Alex Garland.

VanderMeer was born in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, but his early years were spent in the Fiji Islands, where his parents served with the Peace Corps. His family's subsequent journey back to the United States, which took them through Africa, Asia, and Europe, significantly influenced his writing. Today, he resides in Tallahassee, Florida, with his wife, Ann VanderMeer, who is an acclaimed editor, and their two cats.

Over the course of his career, VanderMeer has received numerous awards for his work. These include the Physling Awards, Nebula Award, BFSA Award, World Fantasy Award, and he has been a finalist for the literary-award Hugo Award. He is particularly known for his contributions to the New Weird genre and his stories set in the city of Ambergris, as well as for his critically acclaimed Southern Reach trilogy.

In addition to his work as an author, VanderMeer is also an accomplished teacher, publisher, and editor. He has served as the Trias Writer in Residence at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and has spoken at prestigious institutions such as the Guggenheim, the Library of Congress, and the Arthur C. Clarke Center for the Human Imagination. He is also known for his environmental activism and his engagement with ecological issues in his writing, earning him the nickname "the weird Thoreau" from the New Yorker.