Jonathan Raymond

{{Short description|American writer (born 1971)}} {{for|the President of Trinity Western University|Jonathan S. Raymond}} {{Infobox writer | name = Jon Raymond | embed = | honorific_prefix = | honorific_suffix = | image = Jon raymond 142828.jpg | image_size = | image_upright = | alt = | caption = Raymond in 2017 | native_name = | native_name_lang = | pseudonym = | birth_name = | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1971|06|26}} | birth_place = [[San Francisco]], [[California]], U.S. | death_date =  | death_place = | education = [[Swarthmore College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[The New School]] ([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]]) }} '''Jonathan Raymond''' (born June 26, 1971), usually credited '''Jon Raymond''', is an American writer living in [[Portland, Oregon]]. He is best known for writing the novels ''The Half-Life'' and ''Rain Dragon'', and for writing the short stories and novels adapted for the films ''[[Old Joy]]'', ''[[Wendy and Lucy]]'', and ''[[First Cow]]'', all directed by [[Kelly Reichardt]], with whom he co-wrote the screenplays.

As a screenwriter, Raymond wrote the original scripts for ''[[Meek's Cutoff (film)|Meek's Cutoff]]'' and ''[[Night Moves (2013 film)|Night Moves]].'' He was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy]] for his teleplay writing on the [[HBO]] miniseries ''[[Mildred Pierce (miniseries)|Mildred Pierce]]''.

==Early life and education== Raymond grew up in [[Lake Grove, Oregon]], and attended [[Lake Oswego High School]]. He graduated from [[Swarthmore College]]. He received his [[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]] from [[The New School]] in [[New York City]].<ref name="oregonlive.com">{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Jeff |date=2009-01-05 |title=Writer Jon Raymond sees his work realized in Oregon films |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/movies/2009/01/writer_jon_raymond_sees_his_wo.html |access-date=2026-03-24 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==

===Fiction=== He published his first novel, ''The Half-Life'' in May 2004, which was released by [[Bloomsbury Publishing|Bloomsbury]]. The novel takes place in Oregon and revolves around two parallel storylines: the cook Cookie Figowitz meeting with the refugee Henry Brown in 1820s Oregon, and 160 years later (1980), Tina Plank befriending Trixie, a girl with a troubled past.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Half-Life |url=https://www.amazon.com/The-Half-Life-Jon-Raymond-ebook/dp/B002TTICCI |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20250121075559/https://www.amazon.com/The-Half-Life-Jon-Raymond-ebook/dp/B002TTICCI |archive-date=2025-01-21 |access-date=2026-03-24 |website=www.amazon.com |language=en-us}}</ref> The novel won a ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' "Best Book of 2004" award.

In 2008, Raymond published his first collection of short stories, entitled ''Livability'', which won the [[Oregon Book Award]]'s [[Ken Kesey]] Award for Fiction in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Baker |first=Jeff |date=2009-10-27 |title=Oregon Book Awards honor new writers, veteran winners |url=https://www.oregonlive.com/books/2009/10/oregon_book_awards_honor_new_w.html |access-date=2026-03-24 |website=oregonlive |language=en}}</ref> The collection was also a [[Barnes & Noble]] "Discover Great New Writer’s" selection. Three stories from that collection ("Old Joy", "Train Choir", and "The Suckling Pig") were adapted into feature films.

"Old Joy", a 2004 short story Raymond wrote that was inspired by the photography of [[Justine Kurland]], became adapted into the 2006 film ''[[Old Joy]]'', directed by [[Kelly Reichardt]] and starring musician [[Will Oldham]].<ref>[http://www.portlandart.net/archives/2006/08/old_joy_at_cine.html PORT - Portland art + news + reviews]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://wweek.com/editorial/3242/7904 |title=Loggernaut Reading Series, Thursday, Aug. 24: Jonathan Raymond on Old Joy and scrubbing toilets |date=2006-08-23|accessdate=2021-11-07 |author=Starr, Karla |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929105134/http://www.wweek.com/editorial/3242/7904 |archive-date=2007-09-29 }} [[Willamette Week]] August 23, 2006 </ref> The film premiered at the 2006 [[Sundance Film Festival]] and won awards from the [[Los Angeles Film Critics Association]], the [[Rotterdam International Film Festival]], the [[Sarasota Film Festival]] and the [[Independent Spirit Awards]] (producer Neil Kopp won the Producer's Award), and was on various "Top 10 Films of 2006" lists including those from [[LA Weekly]], [[Portland Oregonian]], [[The A.V. Club]], [[The Boston Globe]], and [[Entertainment Weekly]].

Raymond's story "Train Choir" was adapted into the 2008 feature film ''[[Wendy and Lucy]]'', also directed by [[Kelly Reichardt]] and starring [[Michelle Williams (actress)|Michelle Williams]], and which had its world premiere at the 2008 [[Cannes Film Festival]]. The film won both Best Picture and Best Actress (for Williams) at the [[Toronto Film Critics Association Awards 2008|12th Toronto Film Critics Association Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081217.TOPTEN17/TPStory/Entertainment |title=Toronto Film Critics choose indie over Hollywood |author1=Lacey, Liam |author2=Dixon, Guy |date=2008-12-17 |location=Toronto |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081217133633/http://www.theglobeandmail.com//servlet/story/LAC.20081217.TOPTEN17/TPStory/Entertainment/ |archive-date=December 17, 2008 }}</ref> ''Wendy and Lucy'' was also placed at #87 on [[Slant Magazine]]'s best films of the 2000s,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/feature/best-of-the-aughts-film/216/page_2|work=[[Slant Magazine]]|accessdate=February 10, 2010|title=Best of the Aughts: Film}}</ref> and also appeared on many "Top 10 Films of 2008" lists,<ref name=mctop08>{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2008/toptens.shtml |title=Metacritic: 2008 Film Critic Top Ten Lists |publisher=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=January 11, 2009 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090102205252/http://www.metacritic.com/film/awards/2008/toptens.shtml |archivedate=January 2, 2009 }}</ref> including those of the ''[[Chicago Reader]]'', ''[[New York Post]]'', ''[[Newsweek]]'', ''[[The Austin Chronicle]]'', ''[[LA Weekly]]'', ''[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]]'', the ''[[Seattle Post-Intelligencer]]'', ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'', ''[[The New York Times]]'', ''[[The Oregonian]]'', ''[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]'', ''[[The Village Voice]]'', and ''[[The Christian Science Monitor]]''.

In 2012, Raymond also published a second novel, ''Rain Dragon'', which revolves around the character of Damon and his girlfriend Amy, who have had enough of Los Angeles and decide to leave the city to work on a community farm.

"The Suckling Pig", a third story from ''Livability'', was adapted into the 2023 film ''Earthlings'' by Steven Doughton, and premiered at the Göteborg Film Festival in Sweden.

=== Screenwriting === Raymond has co-written, with the director [[Kelly Reichardt]], the screenplays for two of her films based on his short stories, ''[[Old Joy]]'' (2006) and ''[[Wendy and Lucy]]'' (2008), as well as for ''[[First Cow]]'' (2019), based on his novel ''The Half Life''. For ''Old Joy'', he was nominated, along with the director and producers of the film, for a [[John Cassavetes]] Award from the 2007 [[Independent Spirit Awards]].

[[File:Jon Raymond.jpg|thumb|Raymond in 2010]] Raymond also wrote the screenplay for Reichardt's 2010 western ''[[Meek's Cutoff (film)|Meek's Cutoff]]'', which competed for the [[Golden Lion]] at the [[67th Venice International Film Festival]]. Raymond was nominated for a Humanitas Prize at the [[2011 Sundance Film Festival]] for his screenplay, and the film received a "Best Film" nomination from the 2011 [[Gotham Independent Film Awards]].

Raymond again worked with Reichardt on the screenplay for her film ''[[Night Moves (2013 film)|Night Moves]]'' in 2013. The film was shown in the main competition section of the [[70th Venice International Film Festival]] in 2013 and at the [[2013 Toronto International Film Festival]].

Raymond collaborated on the screenplay for another of Reichardt's films, ''[[First Cow]]'' which premiered at the [[Telluride Film Festival]] in 2019. The film was also chosen to compete for the [[Golden Bear]] in the main competition section at the [[70th Berlin International Film Festival]] in 2020.

=== Teleplays and television writing === Raymond also co-wrote all the teleplays for all five episodes of the 2011 HBO miniseries, ''[[Mildred Pierce (miniseries)|Mildred Pierce]]'', directed and also co-written by [[Todd Haynes]] based on [[James M. Cain]]'s novel, and starring [[Kate Winslet]] as the title character. For his writing work on the show, Raymond was nominated for a [[Primetime Emmy]] for "Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special" (shared with Todd Haynes).

=== Other work === Raymond's professional duties include co-editing ''[[Tin House]]'', editing ''[[Plazm (magazine)|Plazm]]'', art criticism for ''[[Artforum]]'' and ''[[Modern Painters (magazine)|Modern Painters]]'', and teaching through [[The New School]].<ref name="oregonlive.com"/> Raymond's writing has also appeared in ''[[Bookforum]]'', the ''[[Village Voice]]'', and other publications.

Raymond produced the 2012 feature film, ''Buoy'', directed by Steven Doughton and starring [[Matthew Del Negro]] and [[Tina Holmes]]. He has also served as the assistant to Writer/Director [[Todd Haynes]] on the set of his 2002 film, ''[[Far From Heaven]]'', starring [[Julianne Moore]] and [[Dennis Quaid]]. Raymond used the name "Slats Grobnik" (a character created by Chicago newspaper columnist [[Mike Royko]]) when he worked as Haynes' assistant on ''Far From Heaven'', and [[Roger Ebert]] noticed this deep in the credits and wrote about it in his "Movie Yearbook 2004."<ref>''Id.''</ref>

==Books== *''Old Joy'' (2004), short story (collected 2008 in ''Livability'') with photographies by [[Justine Kurland]], {{ISBN|978-1-891273-05-6}} *''The Half-Life: A Novel'' (2004), {{ISBN|978-1-58234-578-9}} (2005 paperback) **''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' "Best Book of 2004" award *''Livability: Stories'' (2008), {{ISBN|978-1-59691-655-5}} **[[Oregon Book Award]]'s [[Ken Kesey]] Award for Fiction in 2009 **[[Barnes & Noble]] "Discover Great New Writer’s" selection *''Rain Dragon: A Novel'' (2012), {{ISBN|978-1-60819-679-1}} *''Freebird: A Novel'' (2017), {{ISBN|978-1-55597-760-3}} *''Denial: A Novel'' (2022) {{ISBN|978-1-98218-183-3}} *''God and Sex: A Novel'' (2025) {{ISBN|978-1668084915}}

==Screenplays== * ''[[Old Joy]]'' (2006) (with [[Kelly Reichardt]]) (based on the short story "Old Joy" in his 2008 collection ''Livability'') ** [[John Cassavetes]] Award Nomination from the 2007 [[Independent Spirit Awards]] * ''[[Wendy and Lucy]]'' (2008) (with Kelly Reichardt) (based on the short story "Train Choir" in his 2008 collection ''Livability'') * ''[[Meek's Cutoff (film)|Meek's Cutoff]]'' (2010) (with Kelly Reichardt) ** 2011 [[Sundance Film Festival]] Humanitas Award Nomination * ''[[Night Moves (2013 film)|Night Moves]]'' (2013) (with Kelly Reichardt) * ''[[First Cow]]'' (2019) (with Kelly Reichardt) (based on his 2004 novel ''The Half-Life'') * ''[[Showing Up]]'' (2022) (with Kelly Reichardt) * ''Earthlings'' (2023) (with [[Steven Doughton]]) (based on the short story "The Suckling Pig" in his 2008 collection ''Livability'') * ''[[De Noche (film)|De Noche]]'' (TBA) (with [[Todd Haynes]])

==Teleplays== *''[[Mildred Pierce (miniseries)|Mildred Pierce]]'' (2011) (teleplays for all five episodes, Part One to Part Five) **[[Primetime Emmy]] Nomination for "Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special" (shared with [[Todd Haynes]])

==Awards and nominations== *For ''The Half-Life: A Novel'': ''[[Publishers Weekly]]'' "Best Book of 2004" Award *For ''Livability'' (Short story collection): [[Oregon Book Award]]'s [[Ken Kesey]] for Fiction in 2009 and [[Barnes & Noble]] "Discover Great New Writer’s" selection *For ''[[Mildred Pierce (miniseries)|Mildred Pierce]]'': 2011 [[Primetime Emmy]] Nomination for "Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special" (shared with [[Todd Haynes]]) *For ''[[Meek's Cutoff (film)|Meek's Cutoff]]'' screenplay, 2011 [[Sundance Film Festival]] Humanitas Award Nomination

== References == {{reflist|2}}

==External links== {{commons category}} * {{imdb name}} * {{cite news |url=http://www.oregonlive.com/movies/index.ssf/2009/01/writer_jon_raymond_sees_his_wo.html |title=Writer Jon Raymond sees his work realized in Oregon films |author=Baker, Jeff |publisher=[[The Oregonian]] |date=January 5, 2009}} * {{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/blog/2009/02/wendy-and-lucy-explores-landscape-of-loss.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327030545/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/art/blog/2009/02/wendy-and-lucy-explores-landscape-of-loss.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |title=Art Beat: 'Wendy and Lucy' Explores Landscape of Loss |author=Pollock, Zoë |work=[[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]]}} * {{cite web |url=http://www.identitytheory.com/interviews/jon_raymond.php |title=Jon Raymond interviewed by Identity Theory|date=2009-03-12}}

{{San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Award for Best Adapted Screenplay}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Raymond, Jonathan}} [[Category:21st-century American novelists]] [[Category:American male novelists]] [[Category:American male screenwriters]] [[Category:1971 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:Writers from Portland, Oregon]] [[Category:American male short story writers]] [[Category:21st-century American short story writers]] [[Category:21st-century American male writers]] [[Category:Novelists from Oregon]] [[Category:Screenwriters from Oregon]] [[Category:21st-century American screenwriters]]