Karl Marlantes is a highly respected American author, known for his fiction and non-fiction books. He is a distinguished alumnus of Yale University and a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford University. Marlantes has a remarkable background as a former Marine who served in Vietnam, where he demonstrated extraordinary courage and valor. His military service earned him numerous prestigious accolades, including the Navy Cross, the Bronze Star, two Navy Commendation Medals for valour, two Purple Hearts, and ten air medals.
Marlantes's career as a writer began in 2010 with the publication of his debut novel, Matterhorn. This novel, which is based on his personal combat experience during the Vietnam War, has been widely acclaimed as one of the most devastating and profound works of fiction on the subject. The New York Times has declared it as one of the most significant war novels ever written on Vietnam. Matterhorn won several prestigious awards, including the Washington State Book Award in 2011 for fiction and the Marine Corps Heritage Foundation’s James Webb Award for Distinguished Fiction.
In addition to his work as a novelist, Marlantes has also written biographical nonfiction, providing insight into his own experiences as a modern veteran adjusting to civilian life. His writing has been recognized with numerous awards, including the William E. Colby Award given by the Pritzker Military Library, the Center For Fiction's Flaherty-Dunnan First Novel Prize, and the 2011 Indies’ Choice Award for Adult Debut Book of the Year. Despite his many accomplishments, Marlantes remains a humble and private individual, living in rural Washington.