Saeed Jones
Saeed Jones | |
|---|---|
 Saeed Jones at BookExpo 2019 | |
| Born | November 26, 1985 Memphis,Tennessee,U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Western Kentucky University(BA) Rutgers University–Newark(MFA) |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Pushcart Prize |
Saeed Jones(born November 26, 1985)[1]is an American writer and poet. His debut collectionPrelude to Bruisewas named a 2014 finalist for theNational Book Critics Circle Awardfor poetry. His second book, a memoir,How We Fight for Our Liveswon theKirkus Prize for Nonfictionin 2019.
Early life
[edit]Jones was born inMemphis, Tennesseeand grew up inLewisville, Texas.[2]He attended college atWestern Kentucky University,then earned an MFA inCreative WritingatRutgers University–Newark.[3][4]
Career
[edit]Poetry
[edit]Jones released his debut poetrychapbookin 2011. TitledWhen the Only Light is Fire,it was the top-selling book in the Gay Poetry category on Amazon for several weeks.[4]
In 2014, Jones published his first full-length poetry collection,Prelude to Bruise.NPRcalled it "brilliant, unsparing," "visceral and affecting."[5]The Kenyon Reviewsaid the work "evokes a perilous, often mythic, eroticism within a brutalizing context of violence."[6]TIME Magazinerecommended it as "an engrossing read best consumed in as few sittings as possible."[7]It was a 2014 finalist for theNational Book Critics Circle Awardfor poetry.[8]
In September 2022, Jones published another poetry collection,Alive at the End of the World.[9][10]
Jones has been a winner of thePushcart Prize,the Joyce Osterwell Award for Poetry from thePEN Literary Awards,[11]and theStonewall Book Award-Barbara Gittings Award for Literature,and a nominee for the2014 Lambda Literary Award for Gay Poetry.Jones has been featured onPBS NewsHour's poetry series[12]and onSo Popular! withJanet MockonMSNBC.[13]He was featured on the cover ofHello Mr.in 2015.[14]
Prose and other projects
[edit]Jones previously worked forBuzzFeedas the founding LGBT editor and its executive culture editor.[15][16]While at BuzzFeed, Jones cohosted BuzzFeed News' morning showAM to DMfrom fall 2017 until mid-2019.[17]Jones also wrote an advice column for BuzzFeed'sREADERnewsletter entitled "Dear Ferocity."[18]
His memoirHow We Fight for Our Liveswas published bySimon & Schusterin 2019.The New Yorkercalled the book's tone and content "urgent, immediate, matter of fact".[19]NPR called it an "outstanding memoir" with "elements that profoundly connect him to poetry" and to "many of us who grew up dreaming of a chance at upward social mobility".[20]The book won theKirkus Prize for Nonfictionin 2019 and aLambda Literary Awardin 2020.[21][22]
In 2022, Jones's interview withDebbie Millmanwas featured on theStorybound (podcast)season 5 premiere[citation needed].
Jones is one of the hosts of the Vibe Check podcast.[citation needed]
Personal life
[edit]Jones lives inColumbus, Ohio.[23]
Jones was brought up to practiceNichiren Buddhismand still does today.[4]
Bibliography
[edit]Poetry collections
[edit]- When the Only Light is Fire.Sibling Rivalry Press, 2011.
- Prelude to Bruise.Coffee House Press, 2014.
- Alive at the End of the World.Coffee House Press. 2022.ISBN9781566896511.
In Anthology
- Ghost Fishing: An Eco-Justice Poetry Anthology.University of Georgia Press, 2018.
Memoir
[edit]- How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir.Simon & Schuster.2019.ISBN9781501132735.
References
[edit]- ^Jones, Saeed [@theferocity] (November 25, 2014)."It's my birthday tomorrow. I'll be 29. So grateful hasn't killed me yet"(Tweet).RetrievedApril 25,2017– viaTwitter.
- ^Cochran, Jacoby (May 27, 2015)."Saeed Jones: Buzzfeed Editor, Poet, and Forensicator".Melo.Archived fromthe originalon April 26, 2017.RetrievedSeptember 20,2016.
- ^Sacharow, Fredda (February 19, 2016)."Buzzfeed Names Rutgers MFA Graduate Executive Editor of Culture".Rutgers Today.Rutgers University.
- ^abcGadson, Jonterri (2012)."An Interview with Saeed Jones".Eclectica Magazine.v16n1.RetrievedAugust 28,2022.
- ^El-Mohtar, Amal(September 3, 2014)."Brilliant, Unsparing 'Prelude' Will Leave A Bruise".All Things Considered.NPR.
- ^Journey, Anna(Fall 2014)."On Saeed Jones's Prelude to Bruise".Kenyon Review Online.
- ^Feeney, Nolan (September 29, 2014)."Saeed Jones:" No One Is Safe "In These Poems".Time.
- ^Charles, Ron(January 19, 2015)."National Book Critics Circle finalists".The Washington Post.
- ^Gorham, Luke (August 26, 2022)."Alive at the End of the World".Library Journal.RetrievedOctober 6,2022.
- ^"Saeed Jones Is 'Alive at the End of the World'".Shondaland.September 12, 2022.RetrievedOctober 6,2022.
- ^Hertzel, Laurie (May 13, 2015)."Coffee House poet Saeed Jones wins PEN award".On Books.Star Tribune.
- ^van Wagtendonk, Anya (September 15, 2014)."Weekly Poem: Saeed Jones composes a 'Prelude' to one Boy's coming-of-age".PBS NewsHour.
- ^Mock, Janet(January 23, 2015)."'Prelude to Bruise,' the Poetry of Saeed Jones ".So Popular!.Shift (MSNBC).
- ^Jones, Justin (September 26, 2014)."The Winning Gay Subtlety of 'Hello Mr.'".The Daily Beast.RetrievedSeptember 20,2016.
- ^Gross, Terry (November 7, 2019)."'We're All Struggling': Writer Saeed Jones Reflects On Identity And Acceptance ".WVXU Cincinnati Public Radio.RetrievedAugust 15,2020.
- ^"About Saeed Jones".poets.org.RetrievedAugust 28,2022.
- ^Scire, Sarah (April 16, 2020)."BuzzFeed News shuts down AM to DM, its morning news show, after Twitter pulls funding".Nieman Lab.RetrievedAugust 15,2020.
- ^"Hey, Did You Know BuzzFeed Has A Literary Magazine?".BuzzFeed.May 8, 2017.RetrievedMay 29,2020.
- ^Waldman, Katie (October 10, 2019)."Saeed Jones's Sensual Memoir of Race, Sex, and Self-Invention".The New Yorker.RetrievedAugust 15,2020.
- ^Iglesias, Gabino (October 14, 2019)."'How We Fight For Our Lives' Is One Life Story That Finds Connection To Others ".NPR.RetrievedAugust 15,2020.
- ^Downing, Andy (October 24, 2019)."Columbus writer Saeed Jones wins the Kirkus Prize".Columbus Alive.Archived fromthe originalon September 27, 2020.RetrievedAugust 15,2020.
- ^Vanderhoof, Erin (June 1, 2020)."PRIDE MONTH EXCLUSIVE: The Winners of the 32nd Annual Lambda Literary Awards".Vanity Fair.RetrievedJanuary 16,2020.
- ^McGuire, Nneka (October 22, 2019)."Forget New York. For writer Saeed Jones, Columbus, Ohio, is the place to be a literary star".The Washington Post.
External links
[edit]
Quotations related toSaeed Jonesat Wikiquote
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
- 21st-century American poets
- African-American poets
- American advice columnists
- American male poets
- American gay writers
- African-American LGBT people
- American LGBT poets
- Living people
- People from Lewisville, Texas
- Poets from Tennessee
- Poets from Texas
- Rutgers University alumni
- Western Kentucky University alumni
- Writers from Memphis, Tennessee
- Poets from New York City
- 1985 births
- 21st-century American male writers
- 21st-century American non-fiction writers
- American male non-fiction writers
- Kirkus Prize winners
- Lambda Literary Award winners
- Stonewall Book Award winners
- 21st-century African-American writers
- 20th-century African-American people
- Gay poets