Percival Everett
Born 1956 · Age 70
American novelist, short-story writer, poet and Distinguished Professor of English at the University of Southern California known for genre-bending satire and explorations of race and identity. Author of Erasure, I Am Not Sidney Poitier, The Trees, Telephone and James.
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Life & Career Timeline
Born at Fort Gordon, Georgia
Percival Leonard Everett II born to Percival Leonard Everett (U.S. Army sergeant) and Dorothy (Stinson) Everett at Fort Gordon (now Fort Eisenhower), Georgia.
Family moved to Columbia, South Carolina
As an infant Everett's family moved from the military post to Columbia, SC, where he grew up through high school.
Graduated high school at age 16
Completed high school in Columbia, South Carolina at age 16 (Britannica notes he graduated at 16; likely class of spring 1973).
Worked as jazz/blues guitarist and taught high-school math
While an undergraduate Everett played guitar in clubs to help pay tuition and taught high-school math.
Bachelor's degree in philosophy, University of Miami
Graduated from the University of Miami with a BA in philosophy (minor in biochemistry per Britannica); studied topics including biochemistry and mathematical logic.
Entered doctoral program in philosophy at University of Oregon
Began Ph.D. studies in philosophy at University of Oregon in Eugene; worked as a ranch hand during this period.
Left Ph.D. program and enrolled at Brown University
Left Oregon Ph.D. program after about two years and enrolled in Brown University's creative-writing master's program.
Master's degree (A.M.) in creative writing, Brown University
Earned an M.A. (master's) in fiction/creative writing from Brown University.
Published first novel Suder
First novel Suder published (Viking Books, 1983); written while completing his MA at Brown.
Published Walk Me to the Distance; began teaching at University of Kentucky
Novel Walk Me to the Distance published (1985). Around this mid-1980s period Everett took a faculty position at University of Kentucky (c.1985–1989).
Published Cutting Lisa
Novel Cutting Lisa published (Ticknor & Fields, 1986; reissued 2000).
Published short-story collection The Weather and Women Treat Me Fair
First short-story collection set mainly in the contemporary American West published (August House, 1987).
Faculty move: University of Notre Dame
Took a faculty position at the University of Notre Dame (late 1980s); reportedly met Francesca Rochberg there.
Published Zulus and For Her Dark Skin
Two books published in 1990: Zulus (grotesque/apocalyptic novel) and For Her Dark Skin (a reworking of Euripides' Medea).
Zulus — New American Writing Award
Zulus received the New American Writing Award (listed in awards table).
Worked as ranch hand (Oregon) and later tended ranch in California
Worked as a ranch hand in Oregon during graduate studies and later (1990s) bought and tended a 14-acre ranch in Moreno Valley, California with spouse/partner (reported in interviews).
Published children's book The One That Got Away; moved to California
Published children's book The One That Got Away (Clarion, 1992). Around this time he moved to California and later taught at UC Riverside.
Faculty position at University of California, Riverside
Began teaching at UC Riverside (c.1992); later taught at UC Riverside until the late 1990s.
Published God's Country (western parody)
Published first full-length western novel, God's Country (Faber & Faber, 1994), a parody engaging race and gender politics.
Published Watershed and Big Picture: Stories
Two books published in 1996: the western-set Watershed and the short-story collection Big Picture.
Published Frenzy (novel)
Published Frenzy (Graywolf Press, 1997), a novel drawing on Greek mythology.
Big Picture: Stories — PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
Big Picture (collection) later recognized by PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award (listed among Everett's honors).
Joined University of Southern California faculty
Began working as a professor of English at USC in Los Angeles (1998); later became Distinguished Professor, department chair and director of the doctoral program.
Published Glyph
Published Glyph (Graywolf Press, 1999), a metafiction about a prodigy baby narrator.
Graywolf Press partnership begins (approx.)
By 1999–2000 Everett had begun a long-standing partnership with independent publisher Graywolf Press, which has published many of his books.
Published Erasure and Grand Canyon, Inc.
Published Erasure (University Press of New England) and the novella Grand Canyon, Inc. Erasure satirizes the publishing industry's pigeonholing of African-American writers.
Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Erasure
Erasure won the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award for Fiction (2002), bringing wider recognition.
Arts and Letters Award in Literature
Received the Arts and Letters Award in Literature from The American Academy of Arts and Letters (2003).
Published 'A History of the African-American People (proposed)' with James Kincaid
Co-wrote satirical epistolary novel working with James Kincaid about 'ghost-writing' for Senator Strom Thurmond.
Published A History of the African-American People (proposed) and American Desert; Damned If I Do collection
Released the satirical epistolary A History of the African-American People (Proposed) (with James Kincaid), the novel American Desert, and short-story collection Damned If I Do.
Adaptation dispute: Follow Your Heart (TV adaptation)
Walk Me to the Distance was adapted (with an altered plot) as the ABC-TV movie Follow Your Heart; Everett disowned the adaptation citing grotesque changes.
Responded publicly to racial labeling in reviews
After a 2004 NYT Book Review piece identified Everett's race in opening sentence, he wrote publicly about how race-labeling alters readers' responses — a notable public stance.
Published Wounded; PEN Center USA Award
Published Wounded (2005); the book won the PEN Center USA Award for Fiction (2006 win reflected for the title).
Published poetry collection re:f (gesture)
Released a collection of poetry, re:f (gesture), featuring one of Everett's paintings on the cover.
Published The Water Cure
Novel The Water Cure (Graywolf Press, 2007) published; story about a romance novelist turned vigilante after his daughter's death.
Honorary doctorate from College of Santa Fe
Received an honorary doctorate from the College of Santa Fe.
Received inclusion in Pushcart Prize Anthology & Best American Short Stories
Stories included in prominent anthologies (Pushcart Prize Anthology and Best American Short Stories — dates vary across career).
Published I Am Not Sidney Poitier; won Believer Book Award
Graywolf Press published I Am Not Sidney Poitier (2009); it won several honors including the Believer Book Award.
Dos Passos Prize and other awards
Won the Dos Passos Prize (2010) and other honors; ongoing recognition for decades of work.
Published poetry Swimming Swimmers Swimming
Published Swimming Swimmers Swimming (Red Hen Press, 2010), a poetry collection.
Published Assumption: A Novel
Assumption (2011) released, a triptych of linked stories revisiting recurring characters.
Elected to South Carolina Academy of Authors
Recognized in his home state — induction into South Carolina Academy of Authors (c.2011 as reported in secondary sources).
Served as fiction editor for Callaloo (periodic role)
Has served as fiction editor for Callaloo, a prominent journal focused on arts and culture of the African diaspora (dates span across career).
Published Percival Everett by Virgil Russell
Graywolf Press published Percival Everett by Virgil Russell (2013), a novel about a man visiting his father in a nursing home.
Published Half an Inch of Water (short stories)
Short-story collection Half an Inch of Water published (Graywolf Press, 2015 in bibliography; included here as a mid-2010s collection frequently noted).
Served as guest editor, Ploughshares Fall 2014
Acted as guest editor for Ploughshares (Fall 2014), a respected literary journal.
National Endowment for the Arts fellowship
Awarded an NEA fellowship (sources indicate an NEA fellowship in the mid-2010s; Britannica cites an NEA fellowship in 2014).
Guggenheim Fellowship in Fiction; Phi Kappa Phi Presidential Medallion
Awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship (2015) in fiction and received the Phi Kappa Phi Presidential Medallion from USC the same year.
Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship (Fiction)
Guggenheim Fellowship in Fiction (2015), a prestigious fellowship supporting creative work.
Elected to American Academy of Arts and Sciences
Elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2016).
Published So Much Blue
So Much Blue published by Graywolf Press (2017).
So Much Blue wins PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award
So Much Blue received the PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award (2018).
Reginald Lockett Lifetime Achievement Award
Received the Reginald Lockett Lifetime Achievement Award (2019).
Published Telephone (three editions)
Telephone published by Graywolf Press (2020) in three separate editions featuring different endings.
Published The Trees; Booker Prize shortlist
The Trees (Graywolf Press, 2021) published; satirical novel about lynching, shortlisted for the 2022 Booker Prize and won the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award.
Telephone a Pulitzer Prize finalist
Telephone was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (Pulitzer finalists typically announced the following spring; Telephone listed as finalist 2021).
Ivan Sandrof Life Achievement Award (National Book Critics Circle)
Received the Ivan Sandrof Life Achievement Award from the National Book Critics Circle (2021).
Published Dr. No
Dr. No published by Graywolf Press (2022); later won the 2023 PEN/Jean Stein Book Award and was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.
The Trees wins Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize
The Trees received the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse Prize for Comic Fiction and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize (2022 shortlist).
Windham-Campbell Prize for Fiction
Received a Windham-Campbell Literature Prize for Fiction (2023), a significant international award with monetary prize.
American Fiction film released (adapted from Erasure)
Erasure adapted into the feature film American Fiction (2023), written/directed by Cord Jefferson and starring Jeffrey Wright, Sterling K. Brown and Leslie Uggams.
Elected to American Academy of Arts and Letters
Elected to the American Academy of Arts and Letters (2023).
Dr. No wins PEN/Jean Stein Book Award
Dr. No was awarded the PEN/Jean Stein Book Award in 2023 and was also a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction.
American Fiction film: Academy Award nominations
American Fiction received multiple Academy Award nominations (nominations announced Jan 2024 for a 2023 film); increased Everett's profile ahead of Oscar wins.
Film- and awards-driven mainstream recognition surge
Combined success of American Fiction (film) and prize wins (Windham-Campbell, PEN awards) led to a marked expansion of Everett's mainstream profile.
James shortlisted for Booker Prize
James was longlisted and then chosen for the Booker Prize shortlist (2024 shortlist).
Won Kirkus Prize for Fiction (James)
James won the Kirkus Prize for Fiction (2024).
Published James (Doubleday)
James published (Doubleday, 2024), a reimagining of Huckleberry Finn told from Jim's perspective; earned major critical attention.
American Fiction wins Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards
At the 96th Academy Awards American Fiction (adapted from Everett's Erasure) won Best Adapted Screenplay (Cord Jefferson). This raised profile of Everett's novel.
Accepted National Book Award for Fiction
Accepted the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction for James (ceremony and public acceptance).
National Book Award for Fiction (James)
James won the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction, raising his mainstream recognition considerably.
Named to TIME 100 Most Influential People
Listed on TIME's 100 Most Influential People of 2025 (included in biography sources).
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (James)
James won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction (2025), cementing Everett's status as a major contemporary American novelist.
Key Achievement Ages
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