Tristan Egolf
Encyclopedia
Tristan Egolf was an American
novelist, author
, and political activist.
. His father, Brad Evans, was a National Review journalist and his mother, Paula, a painter. His younger sister is American
actress Gretchen Egolf
. As a Roman Catholic, his godparents were Leo Brent Bozell II and Patricia Lee Buckley. His parents divorced in Egolf's childhood and he took the surname of his stepfather, Gary Egolf. In his youth, the family moved from Washington to Kentucky
. It was life in Philadelphia, however, that inspired Egolf, along with summer visits to his father's new home in Indiana. He graduated from Hempfield High School in Landisville, Pennsylvania, in 1990. Egolf briefly attended Temple University
, in Philadelphia.
, but after the band was dissolved Egolf wanted to focus on his writing and moved to Paris
, which he said was the best place to write about Kentucky, where Lord of the Barnyard was to be set. For 18 months, he wrote during the day and subsidized his rent by playing guitar in Irish bars and on the Pont des Arts as a street musician.
, a prominent French author and screenwriter (Lacombe Lucien
). Modiano helped get his first novel published in France in 1998 by Gallimard after it had been rejected by more than 70 U.S. publishers. Lord of the Barnyard was subsequently published in the UK and the US and received moderately favorable reviews - with a few raves worldwide. His second book, Skirt and the Fiddle, was published in 2002 to even better critical response; his third, Kornwolf, was published after his death. He had also been working on a screenplay for Lord of the Barnyard, left unfinished.
to protest the Abu Ghraib prison-abuse scandal
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, and political activist.
Early life
Egolf was born in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, SpainSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
. His father, Brad Evans, was a National Review journalist and his mother, Paula, a painter. His younger sister is American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress Gretchen Egolf
Gretchen Egolf
Gretchen Egolf is an American film and television actress.Egolf grew up in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where she began acting in theatre as a child. After high school, she attended the Juilliard School for drama in New York and has been living and working in New York and Los Angeles ever since...
. As a Roman Catholic, his godparents were Leo Brent Bozell II and Patricia Lee Buckley. His parents divorced in Egolf's childhood and he took the surname of his stepfather, Gary Egolf. In his youth, the family moved from Washington to Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. It was life in Philadelphia, however, that inspired Egolf, along with summer visits to his father's new home in Indiana. He graduated from Hempfield High School in Landisville, Pennsylvania, in 1990. Egolf briefly attended Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
, in Philadelphia.
Music career
Egolf dropped out of Temple and joined a punk rock band "Freak Thing", later "Kitschchao". The band did release one 7" single on Compulsiv RecordsCompulsiv Records
Compulsiv Records was a record label that operated out of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.- History :The label was founded by Bryan Dilworth and James Payne.Dilworth found and signed the talent...
, but after the band was dissolved Egolf wanted to focus on his writing and moved to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, which he said was the best place to write about Kentucky, where Lord of the Barnyard was to be set. For 18 months, he wrote during the day and subsidized his rent by playing guitar in Irish bars and on the Pont des Arts as a street musician.
Literary career
In Paris, Egolf struck up an acquaintance with the daughter of Patrick ModianoPatrick Modiano
Patrick Modiano is a French novelist born 30 July 1945 in Boulogne-Billancourt of a father of Jewish Italian origins and a Belgian mother, Louisa Colpijn . He is a winner of the Grand prix du roman de l'Académie française in 1972, the Prix Goncourt in 1978 for his novel Rue des boutiques obscures...
, a prominent French author and screenwriter (Lacombe Lucien
Lacombe Lucien
Lacombe Lucien is a 1974 French film that tells the story of a teenage boy during the German occupation of France in World War II. It is based in part on director Louis Malle's own experiences.-Plot:...
). Modiano helped get his first novel published in France in 1998 by Gallimard after it had been rejected by more than 70 U.S. publishers. Lord of the Barnyard was subsequently published in the UK and the US and received moderately favorable reviews - with a few raves worldwide. His second book, Skirt and the Fiddle, was published in 2002 to even better critical response; his third, Kornwolf, was published after his death. He had also been working on a screenplay for Lord of the Barnyard, left unfinished.
Political activism
Outside his writing, Egolf achieved some renown as a political activist. In July 2004, he and a group of friends — later known as the Smoketown Six — were arrested outside Lancaster, Pa., for stripping down to thong underwear and piling on top of one another alongside a road being traveled by U.S. President George W. BushGeorge W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
to protest the Abu Ghraib prison-abuse scandal
Abu Ghraib torture and prisoner abuse
Beginning in 2004, human rights violations in the form of physical, psychological, and sexual abuse, including torture, rape, sodomy, and homicide of prisoners held in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq came to public attention...
.