Richard Ford

Richard Ford is a highly acclaimed literary fiction author, best known for his works of short fiction and novels that often feature damaged and lonely characters. He was born on February 16, 1944, in Jackson, Mississippi, and went on to study at Michigan State University for his undergraduate degree. Ford then pursued further education at the University of California, Irvine, and Washington University Law School, before embarking on a career as a professor at various universities and colleges across the United States.

During the 1980s, Ford worked as a sportswriter, a period that would later inspire one of his most well-known works, "The Sportswriter." His personal life during this time was marked by frequent moves and a marriage to Kristina, an air force child, with whom he lived in various parts of the United States, including New Orleans. The couple eventually divorced, and Ford spent some time living in Paris before settling in Maine.

Richard Ford's debut novel, "A Piece of My Heart," was published in 1976, marking the beginning of a successful writing career that has spanned over four decades. His work has drawn comparisons to that of John Updike, William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, and Walker Percy. Ford's novel "Independence Day" won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1996, as well as the PEN/Faulkner Award in the same year, further solidifying his reputation as one of America's most esteemed authors. He currently resides in Maine and continues to teach English and write fiction at Columbia University.