Tom Drury
Encyclopedia
Thomas Jay Drury is an American writer.
He was born in Iowa
, in 1956, and received his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Iowa
in 1980.
For the next five years, Drury worked at a series of newspapers, including the Danbury News-Times, the Litchfield County Times, and The Providence Journal
until he was accepted to the graduate writing program at Brown University
in 1985. After his short stories were published in Harper's Magazine
, the North American Review
, and The New Yorker
, he was contacted by Sarah Chalfant of the Wylie Agency.
His first novel, The End of Vandalism
, was published in 1994 by Houghton Mifflin
, and was chosen as an ALA Notable Book in 1995.
In 1996, an excerpt of Hunts in Dreams appeared in GRANTA 54, Summer 1996: The Best of Young American Novelists, published by Granta
magazine. In 2000-2001 he was a recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship
.
Drury is also the author of The Black Brook (1998), Hunts in Dreams (2000), and The Driftless Area (2006), as well as works in the Mississippi Review and The New York Times Magazine
. He was a writing instructor at Wesleyan University
, and taught as a visiting writer at Florida State University
, La Salle University
, and Yale University
. He also served as an editor at the St. Petersburg Times
.
He currently lives in New York City
.
He was born in Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
, in 1956, and received his bachelor's degree in journalism from the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in 1980.
For the next five years, Drury worked at a series of newspapers, including the Danbury News-Times, the Litchfield County Times, and The Providence Journal
The Providence Journal
The Providence Journal, nicknamed the ProJo, is a daily newspaper serving the metropolitan area of Providence, Rhode Island and is the largest newspaper in Rhode Island. The newspaper, first published in 1829 and the oldest continuously-published daily newspaper in the United States, was purchased...
until he was accepted to the graduate writing program at Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1985. After his short stories were published in Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
, the North American Review
North American Review
The North American Review was the first literary magazine in the United States. Founded in Boston in 1815 by journalist Nathan Hale and others, it was published continuously until 1940, when publication was suspended due to J. H. Smyth, who had purchased the magazine, being unmasked as a Japanese...
, and 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...
, he was contacted by Sarah Chalfant of the Wylie Agency.
His first novel, The End of Vandalism
The End of Vandalism
The End of Vandalism is a 1994 novel by American author Tom Drury. It was serialized heavily in The New Yorker magazine , and earned Drury a distinction from Granta magazine as one of the best American novelists under forty....
, was published in 1994 by Houghton Mifflin
Houghton Mifflin
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is an educational and trade publisher in the United States. Headquartered in Boston's Back Bay, it publishes textbooks, instructional technology materials, assessments, reference works, and fiction and non-fiction for both young readers and adults.-History:The company was...
, and was chosen as an ALA Notable Book in 1995.
In 1996, an excerpt of Hunts in Dreams appeared in GRANTA 54, Summer 1996: The Best of Young American Novelists, published by Granta
Granta
Granta is a literary magazine and publisher in the United Kingdom whose mission centers on its "belief in the power and urgency of the story, both in fiction and non-fiction, and the story’s supreme ability to describe, illuminate and make real." In 2007, The Observer stated, "In its blend of...
magazine. In 2000-2001 he was a recipient of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
.
Drury is also the author of The Black Brook (1998), Hunts in Dreams (2000), and The Driftless Area (2006), as well as works in the Mississippi Review and The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine
The New York Times Magazine is a Sunday magazine supplement included with the Sunday edition of The New York Times. It is host to feature articles longer than those typically in the newspaper and has attracted many notable contributors...
. He was a writing instructor at Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University
Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college founded in 1831 and located in Middletown, Connecticut. According to the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Wesleyan is the only Baccalaureate College in the nation that emphasizes undergraduate instruction in the arts and...
, and taught as a visiting writer at Florida State University
Florida State University
The Florida State University is a space-grant and sea-grant public university located in Tallahassee, Florida, United States. It is a comprehensive doctoral research university with medical programs and significant research activity as determined by the Carnegie Foundation...
, La Salle University
La Salle University
La Salle University is a private, co-educational, Roman Catholic university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. Named for St. Jean-Baptiste de La Salle, the school was founded in 1863 by the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools. As of 2008 the school has approximately 7,554...
, and 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...
. He also served as an editor at the St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg Times
The St. Petersburg Times is a United States newspaper. It is one of two major publications serving the Tampa Bay Area, the other being The Tampa Tribune, which the Times tops in both circulation and readership. Based in St...
.
He currently lives in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.