Rick Bass
Encyclopedia
Rick Bass is an American
writer
and an environmental activist.
, U.S.
, the son of a geologist, and he studied petroleum geology
at Utah State University
. He grew up in Houston, and started writing short stories on his lunch breaks while working as a petroleum geologist in Jackson, Mississippi
. In 1987, he moved with his wife, the artist Elizabeth Hughes Bass, to the remote Yaak Valley, where he works to protect his adopted home from roads and logging. Rick serves on the board of both the Yaak Valley Forest Council and Round River Conservation Studies. He continues to give readings, write, and teach around the country and world. He lives in Montana
with his family.
His papers are held at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University
and Texas State University–San Marcos
.
in 2006 for his short story collection The Lives of Rocks. He was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Critics Circle Award
(autobiography) for Why I Came West (2009). He was also awarded the General Electric Younger Writers Award, a PEN/Nelson Algren Award Special Citation for fiction, and a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and an environmental activist.
Life
Bass was born in Fort Worth, TexasFort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
, U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the son of a geologist, and he studied petroleum geology
Petroleum geology
Petroleum geology refers to the specific set of geological disciplines that are applied to the search for hydrocarbons .-Sedimentary basin analysis:...
at Utah State University
Utah State University
Utah State University is a public university located in Logan, Utah. It is a land-grant and space-grant institution and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities....
. He grew up in Houston, and started writing short stories on his lunch breaks while working as a petroleum geologist in Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
. In 1987, he moved with his wife, the artist Elizabeth Hughes Bass, to the remote Yaak Valley, where he works to protect his adopted home from roads and logging. Rick serves on the board of both the Yaak Valley Forest Council and Round River Conservation Studies. He continues to give readings, write, and teach around the country and world. He lives in Montana
Montana
Montana is a state in the Western United States. The western third of Montana contains numerous mountain ranges. Smaller, "island ranges" are found in the central third of the state, for a total of 77 named ranges of the Rocky Mountains. This geographical fact is reflected in the state's name,...
with his family.
His papers are held at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University, often referred to as Texas Tech or TTU, is a public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and originally known as Texas Technological College, it is the leading institution of the Texas Tech University System and has the...
and Texas State University–San Marcos
Texas State University–San Marcos
Texas State University–San Marcos is a doctoral-granting university located in San Marcos, Texas...
.
Awards
He won the 1995 James Jones Literary Society First Novel Fellowship for his novel in progress, Where the Sea Used to Be. He was a finalist for the Story PrizeStory Prize
The Story Prize is an annual book award established in 2004 that honors the author of an outstanding collection of short fiction with a $20,000 cash award. Each of two runners-up receives $5,000. Eligible books must be written in English and first published in the United States during a calendar...
in 2006 for his short story collection The Lives of Rocks. He was a finalist for the 2008 National Book Critics Circle Award
National Book Critics Circle Award
The National Book Critics Circle Award is an annual award given by the National Book Critics Circle to promote the finest books and reviews published in English....
(autobiography) for Why I Came West (2009). He was also awarded the General Electric Younger Writers Award, a PEN/Nelson Algren Award Special Citation for fiction, and a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship.
Works
Nonfiction
(Originally published 1985) (Originally published 1987) (Originally published 1992) (Originally published 1995) (Originally published 1996) (Originally published 1998) (Originally published 2000)Anthologies
- Pushcart PrizePushcart PrizeThe Pushcart Prize is an American literary prize by Pushcart Press that honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in the small presses over the previous year. Magazine and small book press editors are invited to nominate up to 6 works they have featured....
- O. Henry AwardO. Henry AwardThe 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....
. - Best American Short Stories 2001The Best American Short Stories 2001The Best American Short Stories 2001, a volume in The Best American Short Stories series, was edited by Katrina Kennison and by guest editor Barbara Kingsolver.-Short stories included:...
.
About Rick Bass, non-fiction by others
- The Literary Art and Activism of Rick Bass, edited by O. Alan Weltzein, (2001). ISBN 978-0-87480-697-7
External links
- Author papers at Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library, Texas Tech University
- Lopate Show with The Story Prize finalists: Rick Bass, Mary Gordon, and George SaundersGeorge SaundersGeorge Saunders is a New York Times bestselling American writer of short stories, essays, novellas and children's books. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's, McSweeney's and GQ, among other publications...
(2/27/07) - Danger Nonfiction in Narrative MagazineNarrative MagazineNarrative Magazine was founded in 2003 by former Esquire editor Tom Jenks and author, Carol Edgarian. Narrative is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the literary arts in the digital age. Its online library of writing by established writers, such as T. C...
- "Rick Bass", On Point, July 2, 2009
- "Rick Bass", Charlie Rose, August 10, 1998
- "Rick Bass", "Love of a Place", Outside Bozeman magazine