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Elizabeth Bishop

American poet (1911-1979) · United States · On the map · Writers · Died at 68

Elizabeth Bishop was an American poet and short-story writer. She was Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1949 to 1950, the Pulitzer Prize winner for Poetry in 1956, the National Book Award winner in 1970, and the recipient of the Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 1976.

Elizabeth Bishop is read about 240 times a day, in 47 languages.

A typical day, 30 days to 6 November 2026

The middle day of the days counted, so one week of news cannot move it. The line under it is the last 104 days, one point a day.

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A life in dates

1979Died6 October 19791976National Book Critics Circle Award for PoetryAwardNeustadt International Prize for LiteratureAward1970National Book AwardAward1964Fellowship of the Academy of American PoetsAward1956Pulitzer Prize for PoetryAward1953Shelley Memorial AwardAward1947Guggenheim FellowshipAward1911Born8 February 1911

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Close ties

Awards

Neustadt International Prize for Literature1976
National Book Critics Circle Award for Poetry1976
National Book Award1970
Fellowship of the Academy of American Poets1964
Pulitzer Prize for Poetry1956
Shelley Memorial Award1953
Guggenheim Fellowship1947
Honorary Doctor of Brandeis University

About this person

Dwight Garner argued in 2018 that she was perhaps "the most purely gifted poet of the 20th century." She was also a painter, and her poetry is noted for its careful attention to detail; Ernest Hilbert wrote “Bishop’s poetics is one distinguished by tranquil observation, craft-like accuracy, care for the small things of the world, a miniaturist’s discretion and attention."

Country
United States
Category
Writers
Type
Writer / Author
Status
Deceased
Dates
Lived 1911 to 1979 · aged 68