Jesmyn Ward
Jesmyn Ward was born on April 1st, 1977 and is currently 48 years old. Jesmyn Ward was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. Ward attended Stanford University where she received a B.A. and M.A. and the University of Michigan where she received an M.F.A.
Jesmyn Ward is the author of the Bois Sauvage series which currently consists of 3 novels. The Bois Sauvage series started in 2006 with the novel Where the Line Bleeds. The most recently released novel in the Bois Sauvage series was Sing, Unburied, Sing which was released in 2017. There are no upcoming novels for the Bois Sauvage series.
Jesmyn Ward has also written the Non-Fiction Books series which has 3 books including Men We Reaped and The Fire This Time.
Jesmyn was the recipient of a MacArthur Fellowship in 2017 for her exploration of the bonds within a community and familial love among lower-income African-Americans of the South.
Jesmyn has been an associate professor in the English department at Tulane University. She has also been a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University, the Grisham-Writer-in-Residence at the University of Mississippi, and an assistant professor of creative writing at the University of South Alabama.
Jesmyn Ward: Awards & Accolades
Jesmyn Ward won the Library of Congress Prizes, American Fiction, in 2022.
Ward's books have also won multiple awards, Salvage the Bones won the National Book Awards, Best Fiction, in 2011 as well as the Alex Awards - Best Book in 2012. Sing, Unburied, Sing won the National Book Awards, Best Fiction, in 2017. Let Us Descend won the Libby Book Awards, Best Adult Fiction, in 2024.
The following novels by Jesmyn Ward were also nominated for these awards:
- Where the Line Bleeds: VCU Cabell First Novelist Award, Outstanding Debut Novel (2009).
- Salvage the Bones: Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Fiction (2012).
- Men We Reaped: Alex Awards, Best Book (2014). Dayton Literary Peace Prize, Nonfiction (2014).
- The Fire This Time: Goodreads Awards, Best Nonfiction (2016).
- Sing, Unburied, Sing: Goodreads Awards, Best Fiction (2017). Los Angeles Times Book Prize, Best Fiction (2017). Kirkus Prize, Best Fiction Book (2017). Alex Awards, Best Book (2018). Women's Prize, For Fiction (2018).
- Let Us Descend: Kirkus Prize, Best Fiction Book (2023). Barnes & Noble Awards, Book of the Year (2023). Goodreads Awards, Best Historical Fiction (2023). Libby Book Awards, Best Historical Fiction (2024).
Salvage the Bones was listed at #18 on the Los Angeles Times "Best Fiction Books of the Last 30 Years" list, which was published in April 2025.
Related Authors
The most common authors followed by users who also follow Jesmyn Ward are:
- Kristin Hannah, author of the novel: The Nightingale.
- Stephen King, author of The Dark Tower Series.
- John Grisham, author of the Jake Brigance Series.
- Fredrik Backman, author of the novel: A Man Called Ove.
- Anthony Doerr, author of the novel: All the Light We Cannot See.
Jesmyn Ward: F.A.Q
When was Jesmyn Ward Born? How old is Jesmyn Ward?
Jesmyn Ward was born on April 1st, 1977. Jesmyn Ward is currently 48 years old.
Where was Jesmyn Ward Born?
Jesmyn Ward was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA and is American.
What awards has Jesmyn Ward won?
Jesmyn Ward has won the following awards: American Fiction at the Library of Congress Prizes (2022).
What book awards has Jesmyn Ward won?
What was the first book Jesmyn Ward wrote?
The first book written by Jesmyn Ward was Where the Line Bleeds, published in 2006.
What was the most recent book Jesmyn Ward wrote?
Her most recently released work was Let Us Descend on October 24th, 2023.
Will there be any more books by Jesmyn Ward?
Jesmyn Ward does not have any upcoming books with a set publication date within the next few months at this time.
How many books has Jesmyn Ward written?
Jesmyn Ward has written 9 books excluding contributions to anthologies. 3 books in the Bois Sauvage Series, 1 Standalone Novel, 1 Short Story/Novella, 3 books in the Non-Fiction Books, 1 book in the Point In Time Collection Series.