Patrick Ness
Encyclopedia
Patrick Ness is an American author, journalist and lecturer who lives in London
. He holds both American and British citizenship (British since 2005). In 2011, he won the CILIP Carnegie Children's Medal with his book Monsters of Men.
army base, near Alexandria, Virginia
in the United States where his father was a drill sergeant in the US Army. He then moved to Hawaii
where he lived until he was six, then spent the next ten years in Washington State before moving to Los Angeles
where he studied English Literature
at the University of Southern California
.
After graduating he worked as corporate writer for a cable company. He published his first story in Genre
magazine in 1997 and was working on his first novel when he moved to London in 1999.
He taught creative writing at Oxford University and has written and reviewed for The Daily Telegraph
, The TLS
, The Sunday Telegraph and The Guardian
. He currently reviews for The Guardian
.
He has been a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund
and is currently first Writer in Residence for the Booktrust.
, his first novel for children, won numerous awards, including the Booktrust Teenage Prize
, the Guardian Award
, and the 2008 James Tiptree, Jr. Award
. It was shortlisted for the 2009 Carnegie Medal.
The Ask and the Answer
won the 2009 Costa Book Award in the children's book category. It was shortlisted for the 2010 Carnegie Medal.
Monsters of Men
was shortlisted for the 2011 Arthur C Clarke Award.
and won the 2011 Carnegie Medal
Topics About Which I Know Nothing (HarperPerennial, 2005)
A Monster Calls (Walker Books, 2011) - from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He holds both American and British citizenship (British since 2005). In 2011, he won the CILIP Carnegie Children's Medal with his book Monsters of Men.
Biography
Patrick Ness was born on Fort BelvoirFort Belvoir
Fort Belvoir is a United States Army installation and a census-designated place in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. Originally, it was the site of the Belvoir plantation. Today, Fort Belvoir is home to a number of important United States military organizations...
army base, near Alexandria, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
in the United States where his father was a drill sergeant in the US Army. He then moved to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
where he lived until he was six, then spent the next ten years in Washington State before moving to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
where he studied English Literature
English literature
English literature is the literature written in the English language, including literature composed in English by writers not necessarily from England; for example, Robert Burns was Scottish, James Joyce was Irish, Joseph Conrad was Polish, Dylan Thomas was Welsh, Edgar Allan Poe was American, J....
at the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
.
After graduating he worked as corporate writer for a cable company. He published his first story in Genre
Genre (magazine)
Genre magazine was a New York city-based monthly periodical written for gay men. It was owned by gay press publisher Window Media.-History:...
magazine in 1997 and was working on his first novel when he moved to London in 1999.
He taught creative writing at Oxford University and has written and reviewed for The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, The TLS
The Times Literary Supplement
The Times Literary Supplement is a weekly literary review published in London by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation.-History:...
, The Sunday Telegraph and The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
. He currently reviews for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
.
He has been a Fellow of the Royal Literary Fund
Royal Literary Fund
The Royal Literary Fund is a benevolent fund set up to help published British writers in financial difficulties. It was founded by Reverend David Williams in 1790 and has received bequests and donations, including royal patronage, ever since...
and is currently first Writer in Residence for the Booktrust.
Critical Reception
The Knife of Never Letting GoThe Knife of Never Letting Go
The Knife of Never Letting Go is the first installment in the Chaos Walking Trilogy written by Patrick Ness and published on May 5, 2008. It has won numerous awards, including the Booktrust Teenage Prize, the Guardian Award, and the 2008 James Tiptree, Jr...
, his first novel for children, won numerous awards, including the Booktrust Teenage Prize
Booktrust Teenage Prize
The Booktrust Teenage Prize is an annual award given to young adult literature published in the UK. The prize is administered by Booktrust, an independent charity which promotes books and reading.-List of Prize Winners:...
, the Guardian Award
Guardian Award
The Guardian Children's Fiction Prize or Guardian Award is a prominent award for works of children's literature by British or Commonwealth authors, published in the United Kingdom during the preceding year. The award has been given annually since 1967, and is decided by a panel of authors and the...
, and the 2008 James Tiptree, Jr. Award
James Tiptree, Jr. Award
The James Tiptree, Jr. Award is an annual literary prize for works of science fiction or fantasy that expand or explore one's understanding of gender. It was initiated in February of 1991 by science fiction authors Pat Murphy and Karen Joy Fowler, subsequent to a discussion at WisCon.- Background...
. It was shortlisted for the 2009 Carnegie Medal.
The Ask and the Answer
The Ask and the Answer
The Ask And The Answer is the second installment in the Chaos Walking Trilogy written by Patrick Ness and published on May 4, 2009. The events follow immediately on from The Knife of Never Letting Go.-Plot summary:...
won the 2009 Costa Book Award in the children's book category. It was shortlisted for the 2010 Carnegie Medal.
Monsters of Men
Monsters of Men
Monsters of Men is the third book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness. It was first published in 2010 and is the winner of the 2011 Carnegie Medal.The title was inspired by previous statements in the first two books...
was shortlisted for the 2011 Arthur C Clarke Award.
and won the 2011 Carnegie Medal
Carnegie Medal
The Carnegie Medal is a literary award established in 1936 in honour of Scottish philanthropist Andrew Carnegie and given annually to an outstanding book for children and young adults. It is awarded by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
Books for adults
The Crash of Hennington (Flamingo, 2003)Topics About Which I Know Nothing (HarperPerennial, 2005)
Books for children
The Chaos Walking trilogy- The Knife of Never Letting GoThe Knife of Never Letting GoThe Knife of Never Letting Go is the first installment in the Chaos Walking Trilogy written by Patrick Ness and published on May 5, 2008. It has won numerous awards, including the Booktrust Teenage Prize, the Guardian Award, and the 2008 James Tiptree, Jr...
(Walker Books, 2008) - The Ask and the AnswerThe Ask and the AnswerThe Ask And The Answer is the second installment in the Chaos Walking Trilogy written by Patrick Ness and published on May 4, 2009. The events follow immediately on from The Knife of Never Letting Go.-Plot summary:...
(Walker Books, 2009) - Monsters of MenMonsters of MenMonsters of Men is the third book in the Chaos Walking Trilogy by Patrick Ness. It was first published in 2010 and is the winner of the 2011 Carnegie Medal.The title was inspired by previous statements in the first two books...
(Walker Books, 2010)
A Monster Calls (Walker Books, 2011) - from an original idea by Siobhan Dowd
Siobhan Dowd
Siobhan Dowd was a British writer and activist.-Biography:Siobhan Dowd was born in London to Irish parents...