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Ann Packer (author)
Encyclopedia
Ann Packer is an American novelist and short story writer, perhaps best known for her critically acclaimed first novel The Dive From Clausen's Pier. She is the recipient of a James Michener Award and a National Endowment for the Arts
fellowship. Packer is the daughter of Stanford University
law professor Herbert Packer and Nancy Packer, a writer and former professor of English and creative writing at Stanford. She is the granddaughter of Alabama congressman, George Huddleston
. Her brother, George Packer
, is a novelist, journalist, and playwright.
at the Stanford Writing Program and later joined the faculty. Herbert Packer was on the faculty of Stanford law school. In 1969, when Ann was 10 years old, he suffered a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body. He committed suicide three years later.
Ann Packer was an English major at Yale University
, but only began writing fiction during her senior year. She moved to New York after college and took a job writing paperback cover copy at Ballantine Books
. She attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop
from 1986 to 1988, selling her first short story to The New Yorker
a few weeks before receiving her M.F.A. degree.
In 1988 Packer moved to Madison, Wisconsin as a fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing. During her two years in Wisconsin she published stories in literary magazines, including the story "Babies", which was included in the 1992 O. Henry Award
prize stories collection. The New Yorker story, "Mendocino", became the title story of her first book, Mendocino and Other Stories, published by Chronicle Books in 1994.
Packer spent almost 10 years writing The Dive From Clausen's Pier. Geri Thoma of the Elaine Markson Agency agreed to take on the book and sold it almost immediately to the editor Jordan Pavlin at Alfred A. Knopf
. It was the first selection of the Good Morning America
“Read This!” book club and received a Great Lakes Book Award, an American Library Association Award, and the Kate Chopin
Literary Award. Ann’s second novel, Songs Without Words, is also published by Knopf. In addition to fiction, Packer has written essays for Vogue
and Real Simple
magazines.
The Dive from Clausen's Pier was adapted into a cable television film
which was not well-received by fans of the novel. Among its difficulties were making the characters much younger than they were in the novel.
Ann Packer currently lives in Northern California with her two children.
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
fellowship. Packer is the daughter of Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
law professor Herbert Packer and Nancy Packer, a writer and former professor of English and creative writing at Stanford. She is the granddaughter of Alabama congressman, George Huddleston
George Huddleston
George Huddleston was a U.S. Representative from Alabama, father of George Huddleston, Jr.Born on a farm near Lebanon, Tennessee, Huddleston attended the common schools....
. Her brother, George Packer
George Packer
George Packer is an American journalist, novelist and playwright.-Biography:Packer's parents, Nancy Packer and Herbert Packer, were both academics at Stanford University; his maternal grandfather was George Huddleston, a congressman from Alabama. His sister, Ann Packer, is also a writer...
, is a novelist, journalist, and playwright.
Life and work
Ann Packer was born in Stanford, California. Nancy Packer was a student of Wallace StegnerWallace Stegner
Wallace Earle Stegner was an American historian, novelist, short story writer, and environmentalist, often called "The Dean of Western Writers"...
at the Stanford Writing Program and later joined the faculty. Herbert Packer was on the faculty of Stanford law school. In 1969, when Ann was 10 years old, he suffered a stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body. He committed suicide three years later.
Ann Packer was an English major at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, but only began writing fiction during her senior year. She moved to New York after college and took a job writing paperback cover copy at Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books
Ballantine Books is a major book publisher located in the United States, founded in 1952 by Ian Ballantine with his wife, Betty Ballantine. It was acquired by Random House in 1973, which in turn was acquired by Bertelsmann AG in 1998 and remains part of that company today. Ballantine's logo is a...
. She attended the Iowa Writers' Workshop
Iowa Writers' Workshop
The Program in Creative Writing, more commonly known as the Iowa Writers' Workshop, at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, is a highly regarded graduate-level creative writing program in the United States...
from 1986 to 1988, selling her first short story to The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
a few weeks before receiving her M.F.A. degree.
In 1988 Packer moved to Madison, Wisconsin as a fellow at the Wisconsin Institute for Creative Writing. During her two years in Wisconsin she published stories in literary magazines, including the story "Babies", which was included in the 1992 O. Henry Award
O. Henry Award
The O. Henry Award is the only yearly award given to short stories of exceptional merit. The award is named after the American master of the form, O. Henry....
prize stories collection. The New Yorker story, "Mendocino", became the title story of her first book, Mendocino and Other Stories, published by Chronicle Books in 1994.
Packer spent almost 10 years writing The Dive From Clausen's Pier. Geri Thoma of the Elaine Markson Agency agreed to take on the book and sold it almost immediately to the editor Jordan Pavlin at Alfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf
Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. is a New York publishing house, founded by Alfred A. Knopf, Sr. in 1915. It was acquired by Random House in 1960 and is now part of the Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group at Random House. The publishing house is known for its borzoi trademark , which was designed by co-founder...
. It was the first selection of the Good Morning America
Good Morning America
Good Morning America is an American morning news and talk show that is broadcast on the ABC television network; it debuted on November 3, 1975. The weekday program airs for two hours; a third hour aired between 2007 and 2008 exclusively on ABC News Now...
“Read This!” book club and received a Great Lakes Book Award, an American Library Association Award, and the Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin
Kate Chopin, born Katherine O'Flaherty , was an American author of short stories and novels. She is now considered by some to have been a forerunner of feminist authors of the 20th century....
Literary Award. Ann’s second novel, Songs Without Words, is also published by Knopf. In addition to fiction, Packer has written essays for Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
and Real Simple
Real Simple
Real Simple is a monthly women's interest magazine published by Time Inc.. Real Simple, which was launched by Time in 2000, features articles and information related to homekeeping, childcare, cooking and emotional wellbeing. Real Simple is distinguished by its clean, uncluttered style of layout...
magazines.
The Dive from Clausen's Pier was adapted into a cable television film
The Dive From Clausen's Pier
The Dive From Clausen's Pier is a 2005 Lifetime original film based on an Ann Packer novel directed by Harry Winer and starring Will Estes, Michelle Trachtenberg, and Sean Maher. It premiered on July 25, 2005 on Lifetime....
which was not well-received by fans of the novel. Among its difficulties were making the characters much younger than they were in the novel.
Ann Packer currently lives in Northern California with her two children.
Books
- Mendocino and other Stories (2003) Vintage Books ISBN 978-1-4000-3163-4
- The Dive From Clausen's Pier (2002) Alfred A. Knopf ISBN 978-1-4000-4032-2
- Songs Without Words (2007) Afred A. Knopf ISBN 978-0-375-41281-3
Essays
This list is taken from Ann Packer's official website.- “Out in the World,” published in the Writing Life feature of The Washington Post, October 31, 2004.
- “The Preppy Look,” published in the Nostalgia feature of Vogue, November, 2004.
- “Her Firstborn,” published in Before: Short Stories About Pregnancy from our Top Writers, Emily Franklin and Heather Swain, editors.
- “My Life in Food” published in Death by Pad Thai and Other Unforgettable Meals, Douglas Bauer, editor. This essay was also published, in an abridged form, in the Life Lessons feature of Real Simple, November, 2006.
- “Things said or Done” published in Zoetrope: All Story, Summer 2010.