Patrick deWitt (born 1975) is a Canadian novelist and screenwriter. Born on Vancouver Island, deWitt lives in Portland, Oregon, and has acquired American citizenship. As of 2023, he has written five novels: Ablutions (2009), The Sisters Brothers (2011), Undermajordomo Minor (2015), French Exit (2018) and The Librarianist (2023).

Patrick deWitt
Patrick deWitt in 2018
Patrick deWitt in 2018
Born1975 (age 48–49)
Sidney, British Columbia
OccupationWriter
Citizenship
  • Canada
  • United States
Period2000s-present
Notable worksThe Sisters Brothers (2011)
French Exit (2018)
Children1

Biography

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DeWitt was born on Vancouver Island in Sidney, British Columbia.[1] The second of three brothers, he spent his childhood moving back and forth across the west coast of North America. He credits his father, a carpenter, with giving him his "lifelong interest in literature."[2] DeWitt dropped out of high school to become a writer.[3][4] He moved to Los Angeles, working at a bar.[5] He left Los Angeles to move back in with his parents in the Seattle area,[6] on Bainbridge Island.[2] When he sold his first book, Ablutions (2009), deWitt quit his job as a construction worker to become a writer, and moved to Portland, Oregon.[6]

Although born a Canadian citizen, deWitt was raised primarily in Southern California and later became a U.S. citizen.[7] He married screenwriter Leslie Napoles,[8] an American,[9] with whom he has a son.[10] He is separated from his wife, but they are amicable and share the care of their son.[2]

Career

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His first book, Ablutions: Notes for a Novel (2009), was named a New York Times Editors' Choice book. His second, The Sisters Brothers (2011), was shortlisted for the 2011 Man Booker Prize, the 2011 Scotiabank Giller Prize,[11] the Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize,[12] and the 2011 Governor General's Award for English-language fiction.[13] He was one of two Canadian writers, alongside Esi Edugyan, to make all four award lists in 2011.[11] On November 1, 2011, he was announced as the winner of the Rogers Prize,[14] and on November 15, 2011, he was announced as the winner of Canada's 2011 Governor General's Award for English-language fiction.[15] On April 26, 2012, the novel won the 2012 Stephen Leacock Award. Alongside Edugyan, The Sisters Brothers was also a shortlisted nominee for the 2012 Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction.[16] The Sisters Brothers was adapted as a film of the same name by Jacques Audiard and Thomas Bidegain, and released in 2018.

His third novel, Undermajordomo Minor, was published in 2015.[17] The novel was longlisted for the 2015 Scotiabank Giller Prize.[18]

His fourth novel, French Exit, was published in August 2018 by Ecco Press, an imprint of HarperCollins.[19][20] The book was named as a shortlisted finalist for the 2018 Giller Prize.[21] He wrote the screenplay for the 2020 film of the same name.[22]

In 2019, deWitt had a small role in First Cow, a film directed by his friend Kelly Reichardt.[23]

DeWitt's most recent novel, The Librarianist, was published on July 4, 2023, by Ecco Press. It follows a retired librarian named Bob Comet and is billed as a "wide-ranging and ambitious document of the introvert's condition."[24] It was the winner of the 2024 Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour.[25]

Bibliography

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Novels

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Nonfiction

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  • Help Yourself Help Yourself (2007)

Screenplays

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References

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  1. ^ Neilson, Doug (December 19, 2011). Patrick deWitt. The Canadian Encyclopedia: Historica Canada. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Rustin, Susanna (November 14, 2015). "Patrick deWitt interview: 'Certain writers look down their noses at plot. I was one of them – until I tried it'". The Guardian. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  3. ^ Jones, Shelley (September 10, 2015). "Coen brother of fiction Patrick deWitt & the comedy of modern characters in antique settings". Huck. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  4. ^ July, Ashly (November 14, 2018). "The Scotiabank Giller Prize finalists recall when they decided to become writers". CBC. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  5. ^ Bishop, Ben (January 8, 2013). "Clear the Bar". Willamette Week. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Robb, Peter (October 22, 2018). "Ottawa Writers Festival: Patrick deWitt makes a French Exit". artsfile.ca. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  7. ^ Steger, Jason (September 7, 2018). "Patrick deWitt: On the run with a mother and son and a cat with a human soul". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  8. ^ Baker, Jeff (February 12, 2012). "Patrick deWitt's hard work pays off with two acclaimed novels and a screenplay". The Oregonian. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  9. ^ Deahl, Rachel (September 23, 2011). "Portland Author Finds Literary Love on the International Prize Circuit". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  10. ^ Bethune, Brian (October 18, 2011). "The new Canadian literary odd couple". Maclean's. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  11. ^ a b Barber, John (October 4, 2011). "Generation Giller: New young writers dominate Canada's richest fiction prize". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  12. ^ Barber, John (September 28, 2011). "Booker nominees Edugyan, deWitt make shortlist for Writers' Trust prize". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  13. ^ Barber, John (October 11, 2011). "Edugyan and deWitt add GGs to long list of nominations". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  14. ^ Barber, John (November 1, 2011). "Patrick deWitt's 'The Sisters Brothers' wins Writers' Trust Prize". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  15. ^ Medley, Mark (November 15, 2011). "Patrick deWitt wins Governor General's Literary Award for The Sisters Brothers". National Post. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  16. ^ "Edugyan and deWitt face off in yet another literary contest". The Globe and Mail. April 4, 2012. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  17. ^ Beattie, Steven W. (September 2015). "Patrick deWitt: fame, horses, and his new novel". Quill & Quire. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  18. ^ "The Scotiabank Giller Prize Presents its 2015 Longlist". Scotiabank Giller Prize. September 9, 2015. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  19. ^ "French Exit - Patrick deWitt". HarperCollins Publishers: World-Leading Book Publisher. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  20. ^ "Book Marks reviews of French Exit by Patrick DeWitt". bookmarks.reviews. Retrieved September 1, 2018.
  21. ^ Dundas, Deborah (October 1, 2018). "Esi Edugyan, Patrick deWitt among finalists for $100,000 Giller Prize". Toronto Star. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  22. ^ Hornaday, Ann (March 31, 2021). "Michelle Pfeiffer reigns over flawed 'French Exit' with mesmerizing hauteur". The Washington Post. Retrieved September 1, 2021.
  23. ^ Laffly, Tomris (March 11, 2020). "How 'First Cow' Costume Designer, DP Helped Craft a Well-Worn Look". Variety. Retrieved July 25, 2024.
  24. ^ "The Librarianist". HarperCollins. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  25. ^ Cassandra Drudi, "Patrick deWitt wins 2024 Leacock Medal". Quill & Quire, June 24, 2024.
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