Robert Bausch
Encyclopedia
Robert Bausch is an American
fiction writer, the author of six novels and one collection of short stories. He is currently a Professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College
, and he has taught at the University of Virginia
, The American University, Johns Hopkins University
, George Mason University
, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. His fourth novel, A Hole in the Earth, was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and a Washington Post Favorite Book of the Year. He has been awarded the Fellowship of Southern Writer's award for fiction for his fifth novel, The Gypsy Man. His most recent novel, Out of Season, was published in the fall of 2005. In 2009 he was awarded the Dos Passos Prize
in Literature. He is the twin brother of author Richard Bausch
.
, Georgia
, United States
, in 1945, at the end of World War II, and were raised in the Washington, D. C., area. Robert has worked as a salesman—of automobiles, appliances, and hardware—a taxi driver, waiter, production planner, and library assistant. He was educated at George Mason University
, earning a BA, an MA and an MFA, and he says he has been a writer all his life. He spent time in the military teaching survival, and worked his way through college.
called the novel “compelling” and it was favorably reviewed in the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and other publications. His second novel, The Lives of Riley Chance, was published in 1984 and was praised by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times
. It was later translated into Swedish. Almighty Me, his third novel, was published in 1991. Again the New York Times, the Washington Post, and other newspapers praised it highly. The rights to the book were sold to Hollywood Films, a division of Disney Studios. Almighty Me was also published in German. This book was later released in film version, uncredited, as Bruce Almighty
.
In 1995, Bausch published a collection of short stories called The White Rooster and Other Stories. The Dictionary of Literary Biography awarded the book its literary prize for the most distinguished fiction for 1995.
A Hole in the Earth, (Harcourt, 2001; Harvest Books, 2002) his fourth novel, was inspired by his father, Robert Carl Bausch, a successful Washington businessman, who died unexpectedly in 1995 at the age of 79. "I tried to put everything my father believed in that book," Bausch has said. "Out of respect for him, and because, as my narrator comes to see, he was right about most things." Bausch comes from a "functional" family; one that was happy and that included an identical twin brother (the novelist Richard Bausch
) and four other brothers and sisters. Their parents, Helen and Robert Bausch, were happily married, staunchly Democratic and Catholic, and they stayed married for fifty-five years. A Hole in the Earth was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and a Washington Post Favorite Book of the Year in 2001.
The Gypsy Man, his fifth novel, was published by Harcourt
in October, 2002 and again, in paperback by Harvest Books.
Bausch’s sixth novel, Out of Season, was published in the fall of 2005. It was a Washington Post Favorite Book of the year as well.
Since 1975, Bausch has been a college professor, teaching creative writing, American literature, world literature, humanities, philosophy, and expository writing. For the balance of his career he has been teaching at Northern Virginia Community College
. He has also taught at the Algonkian Writers Conference
and served as a director on the board of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
fiction writer, the author of six novels and one collection of short stories. He is currently a Professor of English at Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College, often abbreviated NVCC and colloquially as NOVA, comprises several locations in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., and is both the second largest multi-campus community college in the United States and the largest educational institution in the...
, and he has taught at the University of Virginia
University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is a public research university located in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, founded by Thomas Jefferson...
, The American University, Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
, and the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. His fourth novel, A Hole in the Earth, was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and a Washington Post Favorite Book of the Year. He has been awarded the Fellowship of Southern Writer's award for fiction for his fifth novel, The Gypsy Man. His most recent novel, Out of Season, was published in the fall of 2005. In 2009 he was awarded the Dos Passos Prize
Dos Passos Prize
The John Dos Passos Prize is awarded annually to the best currently under-recognized American writer in the middle of their career.The Prize was founded at Longwood University in 1980 and is meant to honor John Dos Passos by recognizing other writers in his name...
in Literature. He is the twin brother of author Richard Bausch
Richard Bausch
Richard Bausch is an American novelist and short story writer, and Moss Chair of Excellence in English at the University of Memphis. He has written eleven novels, eight short story collections, and one volume of poetry and prose....
.
Early life
Robert and Richard Bausch were born in Fort BenningFort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, in 1945, at the end of World War II, and were raised in the Washington, D. C., area. Robert has worked as a salesman—of automobiles, appliances, and hardware—a taxi driver, waiter, production planner, and library assistant. He was educated at George Mason University
George Mason University
George Mason University is a public university based in unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, United States, south of and adjacent to the city of Fairfax. Additional campuses are located nearby in Arlington County, Prince William County, and Loudoun County...
, earning a BA, an MA and an MFA, and he says he has been a writer all his life. He spent time in the military teaching survival, and worked his way through college.
Literary career
Bausch published his first novel, On the Way Home, in 1982. NewsweekNewsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
called the novel “compelling” and it was favorably reviewed in the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and other publications. His second novel, The Lives of Riley Chance, was published in 1984 and was praised by the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
. It was later translated into Swedish. Almighty Me, his third novel, was published in 1991. Again the New York Times, the Washington Post, and other newspapers praised it highly. The rights to the book were sold to Hollywood Films, a division of Disney Studios. Almighty Me was also published in German. This book was later released in film version, uncredited, as Bruce Almighty
Bruce Almighty
Bruce Almighty is a 2003 American comedy film directed by Tom Shadyac and written by Steve Koren, Mark O'Keefe and Steve Oedekerk. It stars Jim Carrey as Bruce Nolan, a down-on-his-luck TV reporter who complains to God that He isn't doing His job correctly, and is then offered the chance to try...
.
In 1995, Bausch published a collection of short stories called The White Rooster and Other Stories. The Dictionary of Literary Biography awarded the book its literary prize for the most distinguished fiction for 1995.
A Hole in the Earth, (Harcourt, 2001; Harvest Books, 2002) his fourth novel, was inspired by his father, Robert Carl Bausch, a successful Washington businessman, who died unexpectedly in 1995 at the age of 79. "I tried to put everything my father believed in that book," Bausch has said. "Out of respect for him, and because, as my narrator comes to see, he was right about most things." Bausch comes from a "functional" family; one that was happy and that included an identical twin brother (the novelist Richard Bausch
Richard Bausch
Richard Bausch is an American novelist and short story writer, and Moss Chair of Excellence in English at the University of Memphis. He has written eleven novels, eight short story collections, and one volume of poetry and prose....
) and four other brothers and sisters. Their parents, Helen and Robert Bausch, were happily married, staunchly Democratic and Catholic, and they stayed married for fifty-five years. A Hole in the Earth was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year, and a Washington Post Favorite Book of the Year in 2001.
The Gypsy Man, his fifth novel, was published by Harcourt
Harcourt (publisher)
Harcourt was a United States publishing firm with a long history of publishing fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. The company was based in San Diego, California, with an Editorial / Sales / Marketing / Rights offices in New York City and Orlando, Florida.In 2007, the U.S...
in October, 2002 and again, in paperback by Harvest Books.
Bausch’s sixth novel, Out of Season, was published in the fall of 2005. It was a Washington Post Favorite Book of the year as well.
Since 1975, Bausch has been a college professor, teaching creative writing, American literature, world literature, humanities, philosophy, and expository writing. For the balance of his career he has been teaching at Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College
Northern Virginia Community College, often abbreviated NVCC and colloquially as NOVA, comprises several locations in the Northern Virginia suburbs of Washington, D.C., and is both the second largest multi-campus community college in the United States and the largest educational institution in the...
. He has also taught at the Algonkian Writers Conference
Algonkian Writers Conference
The Algonkian Writers Conference holds more than one writing workshop at Algonkian Park and several other events throughout the year for writers in all genres...
and served as a director on the board of the PEN/Faulkner Foundation
PEN/Faulkner Foundation
PEN/Faulkner Foundation is an independent charitable arts foundation which supports the art of writing and encourages readers of all ages...
.
Works
- On the Way Home, 1982
- The Lives of Riley Chance, 1984
- Almighty Me!, 1991
- The White Rooster and other stories, 1995
- A Hole in the Earth, 2000
- The Gypsy Man, 2002
- Out of Season, 2005