James Lee Burke
James Lee Burke | |
---|---|
Born | Houston, Texas, U.S. | December 5, 1936
Occupation | Writer, novelist |
Nationality | American |
Education | University of Louisiana at Lafayette University of Missouri (BA, MA) |
Children | 4 (including Alafair Burke) |
Website | |
www |
James Lee Burke (born December 5, 1936) is an American author, best known for his
Wirt Williams, reviewing Burke's first novel, Half of Paradise (1965), in the New York Times, compared his writing to Jean-Paul Sartre and Ernest Hemingway, but concluded "Mr. Burkes' literary forebear is Thomas Hardy."[1]
Burke's 1982 novel, Two for Texas, was made into a 1998 TV movie of the same name. Burke has also written five miscellaneous crime novels (including Two for Texas), two short-story collections, four books starring protagonist Texas attorney Billy Bob Holland, four books starring Billy Bob's cousin Texas sheriff Hackberry Holland, and two books starring Weldon Avery Holland, grandson of legendary Texas lawman Hackberry Holland.
Biography
Burke was born in
He worked in a variety of jobs over the years, while books he had written were rejected, and books he had published went out of print. At various times, he worked as a truck driver for the
He taught at the University of Missouri as a grad student, then at the University of Louisiana, the University of Montana, and Miami-Dade Community College, before settling in Wichita, Kansas to teach at Wichita State University in 1978.[4][5]
Personal life
Burke and his wife Pearl, née Pai Chu,[6] owned homes in Lolo, Montana and in New Iberia, Louisiana. They have four children, including Alafair Burke, a law professor[7] and best-selling crime writer.[8][9] Daughter Pamala Burke McDavid died in 2020.[10] Extended family include cousins novelist Elizabeth Nell Dubus and author and actress DeLauné Michel.[11]
Bibliography
Dave Robicheaux
- The Neon Rain (1987)[12]
- Heaven's Prisoners (1988)
- Black Cherry Blues (1989)
- A Morning for Flamingos (1990)
- A Stained White Radiance (1992)
- In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead (1993)
- Dixie City Jam (1994)
- Burning Angel (1995)
- Cadillac Jukebox (1996)
- Sunset Limited (1998)
- Purple Cane Road (2000)
- Jolie Blon's Bounce (2002)
- Last Car to Elysian Fields (2003)
- Crusader's Cross (2005)
- Pegasus Descending (2006)
- The Tin Roof Blowdown (2007)
- Swan Peak (2008)
- The Glass Rainbow (2010)
- Creole Belle (2012)
- Light of the World (2013)
- Robicheaux (2018)
- The New Iberia Blues (2019)
- A Private Cathedral (2020)
- Clete (2024)
Billy Bob Holland
- Cimarron Rose (1997)
- Heartwood (1999)
- Bitterroot (2001)
- In the Moon of Red Ponies (2004)
Hackberry Holland
- Lay Down My Sword and Shield (1971)
- Rain Gods (2009)
- Feast Day of Fools (2011)
Holland Family Saga
- Wayfaring Stranger (2014)
- House of the Rising Sun (2015)
- The Jealous Kind (2016)
- Another Kind of Eden (2021)
- Every Cloak Rolled in Blood (2022)
Miscellaneous
- Half of Paradise (1965)
- To The Bright and Shining Sun (1970)
- Two for Texas (1982)
- The Lost Get-Back Boogie (1986)
- White Doves at Morning (2002)
- Flags on the Bayou (2023)
Short-story collections
- The Convict (1985)
- Jesus Out to Sea (2007)
- Harbor Lights (2024)
Recognition
- 1988: Burke was awarded a John Simon Guggenheim Fellowship for Creative Arts in Fiction.Baton Rouge.
- Burke has been recognized three times by the Mystery Writers of America.
- 2009: Burke received the MWA's Grand Master Award.Edgar awardand a Guggenheim fellowship.
- 2009: Burke received the MWA's Grand Master Award.
- In 2024 he was named winner of the Diamond Dagger award for his outstanding lifetime's contribution to the crime and mystery fiction genre.[15]
References
- ^ Wirt Williams, On the Tracks of Doom, The New York Times, March 14, 1965
- ^ a b "Southern Masters: James Lee Burke". gardenandgun.com. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ^ "The Heartbreak Lounge". wallacestroby.com. Retrieved April 30, 2017.
- S2CID 144920466.
- ^ "James Lee Burke to Conduct Seminar at Deep South Writer's Conference". The Lafayette Daily Advertiser. August 31, 1983. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Plummer, William (October 7, 1996). "Sober Perspective: Author James Lee Burke Savors Success Cautiously". People. Archived from the original on June 7, 2008. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
- ^ "Alafair S. Burke – Maurice A. Deane School of Law – Hofstra University". law.hofstra.edu. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
- ^ "Books by Alafair Burke and Complete Book Reviews". Publishers Weekly.
- ^ Anderson, Patrick (July 3, 2011). "Book World: Alafair Burke's 'Long Gone'". The Washington Post. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
- ^ "A Study in Bravery | James Lee Burke".
- ISBN 978-0-8071-5307-9. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
- ^ Rainone, Anthony (October 2004). "Interview: James Lee Burke". January Magazine. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
- ^ "List of Guggenheim Fellows". gf.org/fellows. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
- ^ "Edgar Awards - Category List – The Grand Master". edgarawards.com. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
- ^ Creamer, Ella (January 23, 2024). "Lynda La Plante and James Lee Burke share Diamond Dagger lifetime award". The Guardian. Retrieved March 17, 2024.
External links
- Official website
- "The Man Behind Dave Robicheaux", James Lee Burke talks about violence, writing, littering, alcoholism, liberalism, and bestsellers.
- Interview with James Lee Burke, Speaking of Mysteries TV Series (2001)