The 2006 Whiting Writers' Awards, worth $40,000 each and sponsored by
the Mrs. Giles Whiting Foundation, have been awarded to 10 "emerging
writers of exceptional talent and promise":
Sherwin Bitsui. Born on the Navajo Reservation, his collection of poems, Shapeshift, was published by the University of Arizona Press in 2003. He lives in Tucson, Ariz.
Charles D'Ambrosio. His most recent collection of short stories is The Dead Fish Museum (Knopf, 2006). He teaches at University of Montana.
Stephen Adly Guirgis. His new play, The Little Flower of East Orange, premieres at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2007. He lives in New York City.
Tyehimba Jess. His first book, leadbelly, was published by Verse Press in 2005. He teaches at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
Suji Kwock Kim. Her first book, Notes from the Divided Country: Poems, was published by LSU Press in 2003. She lives in New York City.
Yiyun Li. Her collection of short stories, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, was published by Random House in 2005. She teaches at Mills College, Oakland, Calif.
Micheline Aharonian Marcom. Born in Saudi Arabia, her most recent novel is The Daydreaming Boy (Riverhead, 2004). She is a visiting writer at Mills College.
Nina Marie Martínez. The daughter of a Mexican-American farm worker, she is the author of a novel, ¡Caramba! A Tale Told in Turns of the Card, which was published by Knopf in 2004. She lives in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Bruce Norris. His most recent play, The Pain and the Itch, opened this fall in New York at the Playwrights Horizon. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Patrick O'Keeffe. Born in Ireland, he is the author of a collection of stories, The Hill Road, which was published by Viking in 2005.
Sherwin Bitsui. Born on the Navajo Reservation, his collection of poems, Shapeshift, was published by the University of Arizona Press in 2003. He lives in Tucson, Ariz.
Charles D'Ambrosio. His most recent collection of short stories is The Dead Fish Museum (Knopf, 2006). He teaches at University of Montana.
Stephen Adly Guirgis. His new play, The Little Flower of East Orange, premieres at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2007. He lives in New York City.
Tyehimba Jess. His first book, leadbelly, was published by Verse Press in 2005. He teaches at the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign.
Suji Kwock Kim. Her first book, Notes from the Divided Country: Poems, was published by LSU Press in 2003. She lives in New York City.
Yiyun Li. Her collection of short stories, A Thousand Years of Good Prayers, was published by Random House in 2005. She teaches at Mills College, Oakland, Calif.
Micheline Aharonian Marcom. Born in Saudi Arabia, her most recent novel is The Daydreaming Boy (Riverhead, 2004). She is a visiting writer at Mills College.
Nina Marie Martínez. The daughter of a Mexican-American farm worker, she is the author of a novel, ¡Caramba! A Tale Told in Turns of the Card, which was published by Knopf in 2004. She lives in Santa Cruz, Calif.
Bruce Norris. His most recent play, The Pain and the Itch, opened this fall in New York at the Playwrights Horizon. He lives in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Patrick O'Keeffe. Born in Ireland, he is the author of a collection of stories, The Hill Road, which was published by Viking in 2005.