{{Short description|American writer (born 1981)}} {{Infobox writer | name = Karen Russell | image = Karen russell 2011.jpg | caption = Russell in 2011 | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1981|7|10|mf=y}} | death_date = | birth_place = [[Miami]], Florida, U.S. | occupation = Writer | education = [[Northwestern University]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br>[[Columbia University]] ([[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]]) | awards = [[MacArthur fellowship]]<br>5 under 35 Honoree | website = {{URL|http://karenrussellauthor.com}} }} '''Karen Russell''' (born July 10, 1981) is an American novelist and short story writer. Her [[debut novel]], ''[[Swamplandia!]]'', was a finalist for the [[2012 Pulitzer Prize| 2012 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction]]. In 2009 the [[National Book Foundation]] named Russell a [[National Book Foundation's 5 Under 35|5 Under 35]] honoree. She was also the recipient of a [[MacArthur Foundation]] [[Genius grant|"Genius Grant"]] in 2013.
==Early life and education== Russell was born in [[Miami]], Florida, on July 10, 1981. Her brother, [[Kent Russell]], is also a writer.
In 1999, she graduated from [[Coral Gables Senior High School]] in [[Coral Gables, Florida]]. She received a [[Bachelor of Arts|BA]] in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] from [[Northwestern University]] in 2003 and an [[Master of Fine Arts|MFA]] from [[Columbia University]] in 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-03-11 |title=Karen Russell on the Books That Made Her Blush, Weep, and 'Hiccup-Laugh' |url=https://www.elle.com/culture/books/a64129384/karen-russell-book-recommendations-2025/ |access-date=2025-05-25 |website=ELLE |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Career== Russell's stories have been featured in ''[[The Best American Short Stories]]'', ''[[Conjunctions (journal)|Conjunctions]]'', ''[[Granta]]'', ''[[The New Yorker]]'', ''[[Oxford American]]'', and ''[[Zoetrope: All-Story|Zoetrope]]''.<ref name="background">{{cite web| title = Karen Russell| date=August 2004| url=http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=70463| access-date = 2006-11-24}}</ref>
She was named a [[National Book Foundation]] "5 Under 35" young writer honoree at the November 2009 ceremony<ref>"The National Book Foundation's [http://www.nationalbook.org/5under35_2009.html#.T7RjH1J0kZ8 '5 Under 35' Fiction Selections For 2009".]</ref> for her first short story collection, ''St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves'', for which Russell won the Bard Fiction Prize in 2011.<ref>[http://www.bard.edu/bfp/2011/ "Karen Russell, 2011 Recipient"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207082716/http://www.bard.edu/bfp/2011/|date=2012-02-07}}, Bard Fiction Prize.</ref>
Russell's second book and [[first novel]], ''[[Swamplandia!]]'', about a family of alligator wrestlers and their shabby amusement park in the Everglades, was long-listed for the 2011 [[Orange Prize]].<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.orangeprize.co.uk/prize.html | title=ORANGE PRIZE FOR FICTION ANNOUNCES 2011 LONGLIST| access-date= 22 March 2011}}</ref> The novel was also included in ''[[The New York Times]]''' "10 Best Books of 2011"<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/11/books/10-best-books-of-2011.html?hp "The 10 Best Books of 2011"]</ref> and won the New York Public Library's 2012 [[Young Lions Fiction Award]].<ref>[http://www.nypl.org/press/press-release/2012/03/08/finalists-chosen-new-york-public-library%E2%80%99s-2012young-lions-fiction-aw "Finalists Chosen for The New York Public Library’s 2012 Young Lions Fiction Award"], New York Public Library, March 8, 2012.</ref> ''Swamplandia!'' was a finalist for the 2012 [[Pulitzer Prize for Fiction]]; however, none of the three finalists received enough votes, and no prize was awarded.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2012/apr/17/pulitzer-prize-fiction-2012-withheld|title=Pulitzers 2012: prize for fiction withheld for first time in 35 years|last=Flood|first=Alison|date=2012-04-17|work=The Guardian|access-date=2019-01-22|language=en-GB|issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
Russell's second collection of short stories, ''Vampires in the Lemon Grove,'' was published by [[Vintage Contemporaries]] in February 2013. Her third short story collection, ''[[Orange World and Other Stories]],'' was released in May 2019.
Her short story "The Hox River Window," published in ''[[Zoetrope: All-Story]]'', won the 2012 [[National Magazine Award]] for fiction.<ref>[http://www.magazine.org/asme/national-magazine-awards/winners-finalists National Magazine Award] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010181823/http://magazine.org/asme/national-magazine-awards/winners-finalists |date=2018-10-10 }}, American Society of Magazine Editors.</ref> She is the recipient of the Mary Ellen von der Heyden [[Berlin Prize]] and was awarded a fellowship at the [[American Academy in Berlin]] for Spring 2012.<ref>[http://www.americanacademy.de/home/program/past/blog/2011/06/28/the_american_academy_announces_the_20112012_class_of_fellows/878/detail/ "The American Academy Announces the 2011-2012 Class of Fellows"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920032914/http://www.americanacademy.de/home/program/past/blog/2011/06/28/the_american_academy_announces_the_20112012_class_of_fellows/878/detail/|date=2011-09-20}}</ref> "Reeling for the Empire" won the [[Shirley Jackson Award]] for Best Novelette of 2012. In 2013, Russell received a [[MacArthur Foundation Genius Grant|MacArthur Foundation "Genius Grant."]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.prhspeakers.com/speaker/karen-russell|title=Karen Russell|website=Penguin Random House Speakers Bureau|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-22}}</ref>
In 2010, Russell was a visiting writer at the [[Iowa Writers' Workshop]].<ref>[http://www.uiowa.edu/~iww/faculty/fiction.htm Writers' Workshop] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100111035009/http://www.uiowa.edu/~iww/faculty/fiction.htm|date=2010-01-11}}, The University of Iowa.</ref> She later served as an artist in residence at [[Yaddo]] in [[Saratoga Springs, NY]].<ref>{{cite web |title=MacArthur Fellowships Awarded to Yaddo Guests |url=https://www.yaddo.org/about/yaddo-macarthur-fellows/ |access-date=23 June 2018 |language=en |archive-date=22 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190422034624/https://www.yaddo.org/about/yaddo-macarthur-fellows/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> In Fall 2013, Russell was a distinguished guest teacher of creative writing in the MFA program at [[Rutgers University-Camden]].<ref>[http://news.rutgers.edu/camden/pulitzer-prize-nomin-20130109 "Pulitzer Prize Nominee to Serve as Guest Teacher for Rutgers-Camden MFA Program"], Rutgers Today, January 9, 2013.</ref>
Russell held the Endowed Chair in Creative Writing at [[Texas State University]]’s MFA program from 2017 through 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.english.txstate.edu/mfa/Faculty/Endowed-Chair.html|title = Endowed Chair|date = 25 February 2020}}</ref>
In March 2025, her second novel ''The Antidote'' was released.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Antidote by Karen Russell: 9780593802250 {{!}} PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books |url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/750408/the-antidote-by-karen-russell/ |access-date=2025-10-03 |website=PenguinRandomhouse.com |language=en-US}}</ref> It was shortlisted for the 2025 [[National Book Award for Fiction]]<ref name=":17">{{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> and was a finalist for the [[National Book Critics Circle Award]] for fiction.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Board |first=Members Of The National Book Critics Circle |date=2026-01-20 |title=NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR PUBLISHING YEAR 2025 |url=https://www.bookcritics.org/2026/01/20/national-book-critics-circle-announces-finalists-for-publishing-year-2025/ |access-date=2026-02-11 |website=National Book Critics Circle |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The National Book Critics Circle Awards 2025 |url=https://www.bookreporter.com/features/awards/the-national-book-critics-circle-awards-2025 |website=bookreporter.com }}Retrieved 2026-05-05.</ref>
==Personal life== A [[Miami]] native, she later moved to [[Portland, Oregon]], with her husband, editor Tony Perez, and two children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/authors/70463/karen-russell|title=Karen Russell {{!}} Penguin Random House|website=PenguinRandomhouse.com|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-22}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|number=1115295487093907457|user=TonyDPerez|title=My dear, dear wife, Karen Russell, has a new collection coming out next month. Given, I may have recency or spousal…<!-- full text of tweet that Twitter returned to the bot (excluding links) added by TweetCiteBot. This may be better truncated or may need expanding (TW limits responses to 140 characters) or case changes. --> |date=8 April 2019}}</ref> In 2026 she started a job with [[Stanford University]] as a creative writing professor. She currently resides in the [[San Francisco Bay Area]]. <ref>{{Cite web |title=Award-winning novelist Karen Russell to teach first Stanford workshop this spring |last=Feng |first=Sarah |url=https://stanforddaily.com/2026/04/08/karen-russell-first-workshop/ |website=standforddaily.com}} Reference edited 2026-05-15.</ref>
== Bibliography == === Novels === * {{cite book |title=[[Swamplandia!]] |publisher=[[Knopf]] |year=2011 |isbn=9780307263995}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=Swamplandia! by Kirkus Reviews |url=https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/karen-russell/swamplandia/ |website=kirkusreviews.com }} Retrieved 2026-04-30.</ref> * {{cite book |title=The Antidote |publisher=[[Random House]] |date=2025 |isbn=9780593802250}}<ref>{{Cite news |date=2025-03-17 |title=A new novel from Karen Russell is a sprawling story set during the Dust Bowl |url=https://www.npr.org/2025/03/17/1239050326/nprs-book-of-the-day-karen-russell-the-antidote |access-date=2025-05-25 |work=NPR |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=LaValle |first=Victor |date=2025-03-12 |title=Amid a Dust Storm and a Depression, 5 Pioneers Reap What They've Sown |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/12/books/review/karen-russell-the-antidote.html |access-date=2025-05-25 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>
=== Short fiction === ;Collections * {{cite book |title=St. Lucy's Home for Girls Raised by Wolves |publisher=[[Knopf]] |year=2006 |isbn=9780307263988}} * {{cite book |title=Vampires in the Lemon Grove: Stories |publisher=Knopf |year=2013 |isbn=9780307957238}} * {{cite book |title=[[Orange World and Other Stories]] |publisher=Knopf |year=2019 |isbn=9780525656135}} '''Novellas'''
* {{Cite book |title=Sleep Donation |publisher=Vintage Books |year=2020 |isbn=9780525566083 }} ;Stories {|class='wikitable sortable' width='90%' |- !width=25%|Title !|Year !|First published !|Reprinted/collected |- |St Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves |2006 |{{cite magazine |author=Russell, Karen |date=April 3, 2006 |title=St Lucy’s Home for Girls Raised by Wolves |magazine=[[Granta]] |volume=93 |url=https://granta.com/st-lucys-home-for-girls-raised-by-wolves/}} | |- |data-sort-value="family restaurant"|A family restaurant |2011 |{{cite journal |author=Russell, Karen |date=Fall 2011 |title=A family restaurant |journal=[[Conjunctions (journal)|Conjunctions]] |volume=57}} |{{cite book |author=Russell, Karen |editor=Henderson, Bill |title=The Pushcart Prize XXXVII : best of the small presses 2013 |publisher=[[Pushcart Press]] |date=2013 |pages=183–206 |chapter=A family restaurant}} |- |The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis |2013 |{{cite magazine |author=Russell, Karen |date=February 20, 2013 |issue=40 |title=The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis |magazine=[[Electric Literature]] |url=https://electricliterature.com/the-graveless-doll-of-eric-mutis-by-karen-russell/}} |{{cite book |author=Russell, Karen |title=Vampires in the Lemon Grove: Stories |publisher=Knopf |date=2013 |isbn=9780307957238}} |- |The Bad Graft |2014 |{{cite magazine |author=Russell, Karen |date=June 2, 2014 |title=The Bad Graft |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/09/the-bad-graft}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Bad Graft |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2014/06/09/the-bad-graft |website=The New Yorker}} Retrieved 2026-05-17.</ref> |{{cite book |title=[[The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy|The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015]] |publisher=[[Mariner Books]] |year=2015}}<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015 |url=https://joehill.nl/TheCollection/miscellaneous/bestamericansciencefictionandfantasy2015/ |website=joehill.nl }} Retrieved 2026-05-17.</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015 |url=https://www.johnjosephadams.com/projects/basff2015/2015-table-of-contents/ |website=johnjosephadams.com}} Retrieved 2026-05-17.</ref> |- |Sleep donation : a novella |2014 |{{cite book |title=Sleep donation : a novella |publisher=Atavist Books |year=2014 <!--|isbn=978-1-937-89428-3-->}} | |- |The Prospectors |2015 |{{cite magazine |author=Russell, Karen |date=June 1, 2015 |title=The Prospectors |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/06/08/the-prospectors}} | |- |data-sort-value="bog girl"|The Bog Girl |2016 |{{cite magazine |author=Russell, Karen |date=June 20, 2016 |title=The Bog Girl |magazine=The New Yorker |volume=92 |issue=18 |pages=60–69 |url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2016/06/20/bog-girl-by-karen-russell <!--access-date=2017-05-24-->}} | |- |Orange World |2018 |{{cite magazine |author=Russell, Karen |date=May 28, 2018 |title=Orange World |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2018/06/04/orange-world}} | |- |The Ghost Birds |2021 |{{cite magazine |author=Russell, Karen |date=October 4, 2021 |title=The Ghost Birds |magazine=The New Yorker |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2021/10/11/the-ghost-birds}} | |}
=== Non-fiction === * {{cite magazine |author=Russell, Karen |date=November 23, 2015 |title=Helping hand : robots, video games, and a radical new approach to treating stroke patients |department=Annals of Medicine |magazine=[[The New Yorker]] |volume=91 |issue=37 |pages=44–56 |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/11/23/helping-hand-annals-of-medicine-karen-russell <!--|access-date=2022-04-06-->}}<ref>Title in the online table of contents is "Can video games help stroke victims?".</ref>
==See also== * [[Missy Mazzoli#Proving Up|''Proving Up'' (opera)]]
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{Commons category|Karen Russell}} * [http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=70463 Random House Author Page] * [http://www.edrants.com/segundo/karen-rusell-bss-379/ 2011 podcast interview] at The Bat Segundo Show * [https://www.npr.org/2014/03/26/294820998/sleep-donation-a-dark-futuristic-lullaby-for-insomniacs NPR 2014 Interview] *[http://www.bookbrowse.com/author_interviews/full/index.cfm?author_number=1367 "A Conversation with Karen Russell about her first novel, Swamplandia!"], ''BookBrowse'' *[http://msnyder.typepad.com/the_labyrinth/2010/06/interview-with-karen-russell-author-of-st-lucys-home-for-girls-raised-by-wolves.html "Interview with Karen Russell: Author of ''St. Lucy's Home For Girls Raised By Wolves''"], ''In the Labyrinth'', June 16, 2010 *[http://www.newyorker.com/fiction/features/2010/06/14/100614fi_fiction_20under40_qa_karen-russell "20 Under 40: Q. & A.Karen Russell"], ''The New Yorker'', June 14, 2010 *{{cite news|url=http://www.newyorker.com/online/blogs/books/2013/09/karen-russell-2013-macarthur-fellow-q-and-a.html#entry-more|date=September 30, 2013|title=This Weird Short Story I've Been Working On|author=Willing Davidson}} *{{ISFDB name|id=Karen_Russell|name=Karen Russell}}
===Short stories=== *[http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2005/06/13/050613fi_fiction Haunting Olivia] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20130421024646/http://www.conjunctions.com/webcon/russell.htm ZZ's Sleep-Away Camp for Disordered Dreamers by Karen Russell] *[http://recommendedreading.tumblr.com/post/43561524775/the-graveless-doll-of-eric-mutis-by-karen-russell The Graveless Doll of Eric Mutis] {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Karen}} [[Category:1981 births]] [[Category:Living people]] [[Category:21st-century American novelists]] [[Category:21st-century American short story writers]] [[Category:21st-century American women novelists]] [[Category:American fantasy writers]] [[Category:American women short story writers]] [[Category:Columbia University School of the Arts alumni]] [[Category:Coral Gables Senior High School alumni]] [[Category:MacArthur Fellows]] [[Category:Northwestern University alumni]] [[Category:The New Yorker people]] [[Category:American women science fiction and fantasy writers]] [[Category:Writers from Miami]] [[Category:Novelists from Florida]]