Jonathan Lethem

American novelist, essayist, short story writer, Roy E. Disney Chair in Creative Writing, Pomona College · United States · On the map · Writers · Born 1964 · age 62

Jonathan Allen Lethem is an American novelist, essayist, and short story writer. His first novel, Gun, with Occasional Music, a genre work that mixed elements of science fiction and detective fiction, was published in 1994.

Jonathan Lethem is read about 156 times a day, in 27 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

2025Guggenheim FellowshipAward2020“Journeyman himself had a kind of tone deafness when it came to Eastern stuff, or at least to the Eastern stuff spouted by Westerners who fancied themselves enlightened.”In their wordsChapter 4, “The Pillow Book of Jerome Kormentz” (p. 11)Read the whole statement

“OK, so he’s a producer, right?” Lucius spoke as a prosecuting attorney, nailing down established facts.”In their wordsChapter 43, “Dinner with Jane and Lucius” (p. 171)Read the whole statement

“People believe what they need to believe.”In their wordsChapter 58, “The Last American” (p. 236)Read the whole statement

2014Berlin PrizeAward2005MacArthur Fellows ProgramAward2002Tähtivaeltaja AwardAward2000Gold DaggerAward1999National Book Critics Circle Award for FictionAward1997“Feeling unique is what we all have in common, it’s the thing that’s always the same.”In their wordsAugust 1997Five Fucks (pp. 192-193)Read the whole statement

“Scout, that’s a good one,” said the sergeant. “Danny-boy couldn’t scout the inside of his eyelids.”In their wordsAugust 1997Sleepy People (p. 280)Read the whole statement

World Fantasy Award for Best CollectionAward1995“He allowed himself to feel that his stubbornness was courage. Maybe it was.”In their wordsp. 17Read the whole statement

Crawford AwardAwardLocus Award for Best First NovelAward1964Born19 February 1964

People around Jonathan

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Media & music

Photos 4

Lethem in Brooklyn

Lethem reading at the 2008 Brooklyn Book Festival

Lethem reading at Occupy Wall Street; his shirt refers to the New York Mets' home field changing from Shea Stadium, named after William Shea, to Citi Field, the naming rights for which were bought by Citibank

In their own words 4

Jonathan Lethem

4 statements, newest first

This was before cell phones. The desolate spaciousness between humans, between human moments, not yet filled in with chattering ghosts of reassurance.
2020 · Chapter 7, “The Starlet Apartments, Part 1” (p. 29), Own words
Things changed, he thought. Then they didn’t. And we forgot they could again.
2020 · Chapter 58, “The Last American” (p. 234), Own words
Where did you come from?” asked Omidon.“I was exiled to the margin,” said Wendy sourly.“For what reason?”“Why is anyone ever exiled to the margin? For threatening the center.
August 1997 · Forever, said the Duck (p. 185), Own words

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Awards

Guggenheim Fellowship2025

Berlin Prize2014

MacArthur Fellows Program2005

Tähtivaeltaja Award2002

Gold Dagger2000

National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction1999

World Fantasy Award for Best Collection1997

Locus Award for Best First Novel1995

Crawford Award1995

About this person

In 1999, Lethem published Motherless Brooklyn, a National Book Critics Circle Award-winning novel that achieved mainstream success. In 2003, he published The Fortress of Solitude, which became a New York Times Best Seller. In 2005, he received a MacArthur Fellowship. Since 2011, he has taught creative writing at Pomona College. In 2025, he was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship in fiction, a prestigious honor recognizing exceptional artists and scholars in the arts and humanities.

Country

United States