{{short description|American writer}} {{Infobox writer <!-- for more information see :Template:Infobox writer/doc --> | name = Bryan Washington<!-- do not add image icons such as nobel peace, see :Template:Infobox writer --> | honorific_suffix = | image = | imagesize = | caption = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1993|4|22}} | birth_place = Kentucky, U.S. | occupation = {{hlist|Writer|scholar}} | education = University of Houston (BA)<br/>University of New Orleans (MFA) | period = | genre = Fiction | notableworks = ''Lot''<br/>''Memorial'' | spouse = | parents = | partner = | children = | awards = Dylan Thomas Prize (2020)<br />Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence (2019) | signature = }} '''Bryan Washington''' (born April 22, 1993)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Library of Congress LCCN Permalink n2018020990 |url=https://lccn.loc.gov/n2018020990 |access-date=2024-01-01 |website=lccn.loc.gov}}</ref> is an American writer from Houston. He published his debut short story collection, ''Lot'', in 2019<ref>Luis Alberto Urria, [https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/14/books/review/lot-bryan-washington.html "In Bryan Washington’s ‘Lot,’ Stories Reveal Houston’s Hidden Borders"]. ''The New York Times'', May 14, 2019.</ref> and a novel, ''Memorial'', in 2020.
==Early life and education== Washington was born 1993 in Kentucky; his family moved to Katy, Texas, 30 miles west of Houston, when he was 3 years old.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bird|first=Tyson|date=2020-09-24|title=Writer Bryan Washington Brings Another Side of Houston to Life|url=https://texashighways.com/culture/people/writer-bryan-washington-brings-another-side-houston-to-life/|access-date=2020-11-24|website=Texas Highways|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Wolf|first=Brandon|date=2020-10-27|title=Bryan Washington's New Novel Highlights LGBTQ Life in Houston|url=https://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2020/10/bryan-washingtons-new-novel-highlights-lgbtq-life-in-houston/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201101065758/http://www.outsmartmagazine.com/2020/10/bryan-washingtons-new-novel-highlights-lgbtq-life-in-houston/ |archive-date=2020-11-01 |access-date=2020-11-24|website=OutSmart Magazine|language=en-US}}</ref> He knew he was gay at a young age but did not formally come out, fearing stigmatization. He graduated from James E. Taylor High School in Katy in 2011.<ref name=":0" />
Washington graduated from the University of Houston with a BA in English, and continued his education at the University of New Orleans. There he earned a Master of Fine Arts.<ref name="english.rice.edu">{{Cite web|url=https://english.rice.edu/faculty/bryan-washington|title = Bryan Washington | Rice University Department of English}}</ref>
== Career == Washington's first book was ''Lot'', a series of interconnected short stories set in Houston, and published in 2019 by Riverhead.<ref name="english.rice.edu" /> The book centers in part on Nicolás, a young man of mixed African American and Latino American descent who works in his family's restaurant while coming to terms with his sexuality.<ref>Colin Grant, [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/aug/07/lot-bryan-washington-review-tough-tender-houston-short-stories "Lot by Bryan Washington review – tough but tender stories"]. ''The Guardian'', August 7, 2019.</ref> The book won the 2019 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence,<ref name=":1">{{cite news |last1=Johnson |first1=Chevel |title=Houston writer Bryan Washington to receive Gaines Award |url=https://apnews.com/a32a455bd783aafcb4c3e9772c0707d3 |access-date=February 26, 2020 |work=Associated Press |date=January 30, 2020}}</ref> the 2020 Dylan Thomas Prize,<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Flood |first=Alison |date=2020-05-14 |title=Bryan Washington's 'kickass' short stories win £30,000 Dylan Thomas prize |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/may/14/bryan-washington-kickass-short-stories-win-30000-dylan-thomas-prize-lot-houston |access-date=2024-11-10 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref> and the 2020 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction.<ref name=":3">{{Cite magazine |last=Vanderhoof |first=Erin |date=2020-06-01 |title=EXCLUSIVE: The Winners of the 32nd Annual Lambda Literary Awards |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/style/2020/06/lambda-literary-lammy-32nd-annual-award-winners |access-date=2024-11-10 |magazine=Vanity Fair |language=en-US}}</ref>
Washington's debut novel, ''Memorial'', was published in 2020. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Exclusive: 'Lot' author Bryan Washington previews romantic debut novel 'Memorial' |url=https://ew.com/books/2020/02/14/bryan-washington-memorial-novel-preview/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref> In addition to being longlisted for the Aspen Words Literary Prize, the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction, and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, ''Memorial'' was selected as a ''New York Times'' Notable Book.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bryan Washington |url=https://www.nationalbook.org/people/bryan-washington/ |access-date=2023-08-02 |website=National Book Foundation |language=en-US}}</ref> Prior to publication, A24 purchased the rights to adapt the novel for television, with Washington to write the screenplay adaptation.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Mike Jr. |last2=Fleming |first2=Mike Jr |date=October 13, 2020 |title=A24 Wins Hot Novel 'Memorial' By Bryan Washington For TV Division |url=https://deadline.com/2020/10/memorial-bryan-washington-novel-a24-television-rights-deal-1234596641/ |access-date=October 17, 2020 |website=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref>
His second novel ''Family Meal'' was shortlisted for the 2024 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.them.us/story/lambda-literary-awards-2024-shortlist-announcement |title=Announcing the Finalists for the 36th Annual Lambda Literary Awards |work=them. |date=2024-03-27 |access-date=2024-04-05 }}</ref>
Washington lectures in English at Rice University. In July 2020, he was made George Guion Williams Writer in Residence and Scholar in Residence for Racial Justice.<ref name=":0" />
==Awards== {| class="wikitable sortable" ! Year !! Title !! Award !! Category !! Result !! R |-
! rowspan=2 | 2019 | rowspan="8" | ''Lot'' || Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence || — || {{won}} || <ref name=":1" /> |- | Texas Institute of Letters Award || Sergio Troncoso Award || {{won}} || |- ! rowspan=8 | 2020 | Aspen Words Literary Prize || — || {{sho}} || <ref>{{Cite web |title=Aspen Institute Announces the Longlist for the 2020 Aspen Words Literary Prize |url=https://www.aspeninstitute.org/news/2020-aspen-words-literary-prize-longlist/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=The Aspen Institute |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | Crook's Corner Book Prize || — || {{nom|Longlisted}} || |- | Dylan Thomas Prize || — || {{won}} || <ref name=":2" /> |- |Edmund White Award |—|| {{sho}} |<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Edmund White Award for Debut Fiction |url=https://publishingtriangle.org/awards/edmund-white-debut-fiction/ |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=The Publishing Triangle |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | Lambda Literary Awards|| Gay Fiction|| {{won}} ||<ref name=":3" /> |- | Young Lions Fiction Award || — || {{won}} || <ref>{{Cite web |title=Young Lions Award List of Winners and Finalists |url=https://www.nypl.org/about/awards/young-lions-fiction-award/winners-finalists |access-date=2024-11-10 |website=The New York Public Library |language=en}}</ref> |- | rowspan="9" | ''Memorial: A Novel'' || Center for Fiction First Novel Prize || — || {{nom|Longlisted}} || |- | National Book Critics Circle Award || Fiction|| {{sho}} || |- ! rowspan="5" | 2021 | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence || Fiction || {{nom|Longlisted}} || |- | Aspen Words Literary Prize || — || {{nom|Longlisted}} || |- | Heartland Booksellers Award|| Fiction || {{won}} || |- | Ferro-Grumley Award|| LGBTQ Fiction || {{sho}} || |- | VCU Cabell First Novelist Award|| — || {{sho}} || |- ! rowspan="2" | 2022 | James Tait Black Memorial Prize || — || {{sho}} || |- | William Saroyan International Prize for Writing|| Fiction || {{sho}} || |- !rowspan="2" | 2025 |rowspan="2" |''Palaver'' | National Book Award |Fiction |{{nom|Finalist}} |<ref>{{cite news |last1=Tsioulcas |first1=Anastasia |title=Here are the finalists for the 2025 National Book Awards |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/10/07/nx-s1-5563894/national-book-awards-finalists-2025 |access-date=7 October 2025 |work=NPR |date=7 October 2025 |language=en}}</ref> |- | Los Angeles Times Book Prize |Fiction |{{won}} |<ref>"[https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/books/story/2026-04-17/la-times-book-prize-winners-2026-ai-book-bans-amy-tan-we-need-diverse-books L.A. Times Book Prize honorees named — many celebrate resistance: 'When people rise, empires always fall']" by Malia Mendez, ''Los Angeles Times'', Retrieved May 8, 2026.</ref> |}
==Bibliography== === Books === * {{Cite book |last=Washington |title=Lot: Stories |publisher=Riverhead Books |year=2019 |isbn=978-0-525-53367-2 |edition=1st |author-mask=2}} * {{Cite book |last=Washington |title=Memorial: A Novel |publisher=Riverhead Books |year=2020 |isbn=978-0-593-08727-5 |author-mask=2 |title-link=Memorial (novel)}} * {{Cite book |last=Washington |title=Family Meal: A Novel |publisher=Riverhead Books |year=2023 |isbn=978-0-593-42109-3 |edition=1st |author-mask=2}} * {{Cite book |last=Washington |title=Palaver |publisher=Farrar, Straus and Giroux |year=2025 |isbn=978-0-374-60907-8 |edition=1st |author-mask=2}}
=== Fiction and essays ===
* {{cite magazine |author=Washington, Bryan |date=August 8, 2019 |title=How Many |department=Flash Fiction |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/books/flash-fiction/how-many}} * {{cite magazine |author=Washington, Bryan |date=August 3, 2020 |title=Heirlooms |department= Fiction|magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2020/08/03/heirlooms |accessdate=2020-08-08 }} * {{cite magazine |author=Washington, Bryan |date=June 14, 2021 |title=Foster |department=Fiction |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/06/14/foster}} * {{cite magazine |author=Washington, Bryan |issue=July 11 & 18, 2022 |title=Arrivals |department=Fiction |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/07/11/arrivals}} * Washington, Bryan. "Last Coffeehouse on Travis". Fiction. ''The New Yorker''. Sep. 16, 2024. * Washington, Bryan. "Hatagaya Lore". Fiction. ''The New Yorker''. March 23, 2025. * Washington, Bryan. "Voyagers". Fiction. ''The New Yorker''. Sept. 15, 2025.
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *{{official website}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Washington, Bryan}} Category:Living people Category:1993 births Category:21st-century American short story writers Category:21st-century American male writers Category:21st-century American novelists Category:African-American short story writers Category:African-American novelists Category:American male novelists Category:American male short story writers Category:American gay writers Category:Lambda Literary Award for Gay Fiction winners Category:African-American LGBTQ people Category:American LGBTQ novelists Category:Writers from Houston Category:People from Katy, Texas Category:LGBTQ people from Kentucky Category:LGBTQ people from Texas Category:University of Houston alumni Category:University of New Orleans alumni Category:21st-century African-American writers Category:21st-century American LGBTQ people Category:African-American male writers