Carl Hiaasen
Encyclopedia
Carl Hiaasen is an American
journalist
, columnist
and novelist.
, Florida
, of Norwegian
heritage, Hiaasen was the first of four children and the son of a lawyer, Kermit Odel, and teacher, Patricia. He married Connie Lyford just after high school graduation and entered Emory University
in 1970, where he contributed numerous satiric pieces to the school newspaper, The Emory Wheel
. In 1972 he transferred to the University of Florida
, where he wrote for The Independent Florida Alligator
. Hiaasen graduated in 1974 with a degree in journalism
. Carl and Connie divorced in 1996, and he married Fenia Clizer in 1999. He has one son from each of his two marriages.
He was a reporter for Cocoa Today (Cocoa, Florida
) for two years, beginning in 1974, then was hired by the Miami Herald in 1976, where he still works. In 1979 he switched to investigative journalism
, initially focusing on property development and the construction industry, exposing schemes to despoil the natural beauty of Florida for profit; several of his novels have plots based on such themes. He began writing a regular column in 1985; initially three times a week, but after the success of his novels, he cut back to weekly.
, where most of the themes and style used in subsequent books were introduced.
Hiaasen's fiction mirrors his concerns as a journalist and Floridian. His novels have been classified as "environmental thrillers" and are usually found on the mystery
shelves in bookshops, although they can just as well be read as mainstream
reflections of contemporary life. His books have been published in 33 different languages.
He said this about Florida: "The Sunshine State is a paradise of scandals teeming with drifters, deadbeats, and misfits drawn here by some dark primordial calling like demented trout. And you'd be surprised how many of them decide to run for public office."
He has called Florida Governor Rick Scott "an ideological extremist who doesn't like any form of government snooping."
Hiaasen's Florida is a hive of greedy businessmen, corrupt politicians, dumb blondes, apathetic retirees, intellectually challenged tourists, hard-luck redneck cooters, and militant ecoteurs. It is the same Florida of John D. MacDonald
and Travis McGee
, but aged another 20 years and viewed with a more satiric or sardonic eye.
Hiaasen's first venture into writing children's novels was Hoot
, which received the Newbery Honor Award and was made into a movie, with Jimmy Buffett
playing the role of a classroom teacher and Hiaasen appearing in a cameo role. Hiaasen's second children's novel was Flush
, and his most recent was Scat
. Hiaasen's young adult novels follow the theme of environmental issues. They also have his characteristic unique characters and some theme of adventure.
Hiaasen worked for several years with British theatre producers for the adaptation of his bestseller Lucky You; the resulting play includes music by Loudon Wainwright III
, and premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008.
In addition to writing, Hiaasen also does speaking engagements and lectures.
With Bill Montalbano
and won the 2005 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award
, selected for the latter honor by school-age children (grades 4-8) in the U.S. State of Illinois
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, columnist
Columnist
A columnist is a journalist who writes for publication in a series, creating an article that usually offers commentary and opinions. Columns appear in newspapers, magazines and other publications, including blogs....
and novelist.
Early years
Born in 1953 and raised in PlantationPlantation, Florida
Plantation is the name of the following places in the U.S. state of Florida:*Plantation, Florida, a city in Broward County; the largest of the places named "Plantation" in Florida*Plantation, Sarasota County, Florida, a census-designated place...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, of Norwegian
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
heritage, Hiaasen was the first of four children and the son of a lawyer, Kermit Odel, and teacher, Patricia. He married Connie Lyford just after high school graduation and entered Emory University
Emory University
Emory University is a private research university in metropolitan Atlanta, located in the Druid Hills section of unincorporated DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. The university was founded as Emory College in 1836 in Oxford, Georgia by a small group of Methodists and was named in honor of...
in 1970, where he contributed numerous satiric pieces to the school newspaper, The Emory Wheel
The Emory Wheel
The Emory Wheel is the student-run newspaper of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The Wheel is published twice a week, on Tuesday and Friday, during the regular school year, and is updated regularly at its . The sections of the Wheel include News, Editorials, Sports, Entertainment, Arts &...
. In 1972 he transferred to the University of Florida
University of Florida
The University of Florida is an American public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university located on a campus in Gainesville, Florida. The university traces its historical origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its present Gainesville campus since September 1906...
, where he wrote for The Independent Florida Alligator
The Independent Florida Alligator
The Independent Florida Alligator is the daily student newspaper of the University of Florida. The Alligator is the largest student-run newspaper in the United States, with a daily circulation of 35,000 and readership of over 52,000...
. Hiaasen graduated in 1974 with a degree in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
. Carl and Connie divorced in 1996, and he married Fenia Clizer in 1999. He has one son from each of his two marriages.
He was a reporter for Cocoa Today (Cocoa, Florida
Cocoa, Florida
Cocoa is a city in Brevard County, Florida, United States. The population was 16,412 at the 2000 census. As of 2008, the estimated population according to the U.S. Census Bureau was 16,478. It is part of the Palm Bay–Melbourne–Titusville Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:Cocoa was...
) for two years, beginning in 1974, then was hired by the Miami Herald in 1976, where he still works. In 1979 he switched to investigative journalism
Investigative journalism
Investigative journalism is a form of journalism in which reporters deeply investigate a single topic of interest, often involving crime, political corruption, or corporate wrongdoing. An investigative journalist may spend months or years researching and preparing a report. Investigative journalism...
, initially focusing on property development and the construction industry, exposing schemes to despoil the natural beauty of Florida for profit; several of his novels have plots based on such themes. He began writing a regular column in 1985; initially three times a week, but after the success of his novels, he cut back to weekly.
Novelist
After becoming an investigative reporter, Hiassen began to write novels. His first three were co-written by fellow journalist Bill Montalbano: Powder Burn (1981), Trap Line (1981), and A Death in China (1986). Montalbano accepted a job as a foreign correspondent in 1986 and Hiaasen wrote his first solo novel, Tourist SeasonTourist Season
Tourist Season is a 1986 novel by Carl Hiaasen. It was his first solo novel, after co-writing several mystery/thriller novels with William Montalbano.-Plot:...
, where most of the themes and style used in subsequent books were introduced.
Hiaasen's fiction mirrors his concerns as a journalist and Floridian. His novels have been classified as "environmental thrillers" and are usually found on the mystery
Crime fiction
Crime fiction is the literary genre that fictionalizes crimes, their detection, criminals and their motives. It is usually distinguished from mainstream fiction and other genres such as science fiction or historical fiction, but boundaries can be, and indeed are, blurred...
shelves in bookshops, although they can just as well be read as mainstream
Mainstream
Mainstream is, generally, the common current thought of the majority. However, the mainstream is far from cohesive; rather the concept is often considered a cultural construct....
reflections of contemporary life. His books have been published in 33 different languages.
He said this about Florida: "The Sunshine State is a paradise of scandals teeming with drifters, deadbeats, and misfits drawn here by some dark primordial calling like demented trout. And you'd be surprised how many of them decide to run for public office."
He has called Florida Governor Rick Scott "an ideological extremist who doesn't like any form of government snooping."
Hiaasen's Florida is a hive of greedy businessmen, corrupt politicians, dumb blondes, apathetic retirees, intellectually challenged tourists, hard-luck redneck cooters, and militant ecoteurs. It is the same Florida of John D. MacDonald
John D. MacDonald
John Dann MacDonald was an American crime and suspense novelist and short story writer.MacDonald was a prolific author of crime and suspense novels, many of them set in his adopted home of Florida...
and Travis McGee
Travis McGee
Travis McGee is a fictional character, created by prolific American mystery writer John D. MacDonald. Unlike most detectives in crime fiction, McGee is neither a police officer nor a licensed private investigator; instead, he is a self-described "salvage consultant" who recovers others' property...
, but aged another 20 years and viewed with a more satiric or sardonic eye.
Hiaasen's first venture into writing children's novels was Hoot
Hoot (novel)
Hoot is a young-adult novel by Carl Hiaasen. The story takes place in Coconut Cove, Florida, where Roy and his two new friends try to stop construction of a pancake house which would destroy a colony of burrowing owls who live on the site...
, which received the Newbery Honor Award and was made into a movie, with Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
playing the role of a classroom teacher and Hiaasen appearing in a cameo role. Hiaasen's second children's novel was Flush
Flush
Flush has several meanings:* Flush , to become markedly red in the face and often other areas of the skin, from various physiological conditions* Flush , a hand in card games** Flush , a hand in poker...
, and his most recent was Scat
Scat (novel)
Scat is a teenage novel by Carl Hiaasen, published in 2009. Scat tells the mystery of a missing teacher named Mrs. Bunny Starch, and how two of her students, Nick and Marta, do everything to find her. The book is held in over 1,000 libraries, according to WorldCat...
. Hiaasen's young adult novels follow the theme of environmental issues. They also have his characteristic unique characters and some theme of adventure.
Hiaasen worked for several years with British theatre producers for the adaptation of his bestseller Lucky You; the resulting play includes music by Loudon Wainwright III
Loudon Wainwright III
Loudon Snowden Wainwright III is a Grammy Award-winning American songwriter, folk singer, humorist, and actor. He is the father of musicians Rufus Wainwright, Martha Wainwright and Lucy Wainwright Roche, brother of Sloan Wainwright, and the former husband of the late folk singer Kate McGarrigle.To...
, and premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008.
In addition to writing, Hiaasen also does speaking engagements and lectures.
Adult Fiction
- Tourist SeasonTourist SeasonTourist Season is a 1986 novel by Carl Hiaasen. It was his first solo novel, after co-writing several mystery/thriller novels with William Montalbano.-Plot:...
(1986) - Double Whammy (1987)
- Skin TightSkin Tight (novel)Skin Tight is a novel by Carl Hiaasen. It focuses on a former detective for the Florida State Attorney's office, who becomes the target of a murder plot by a corrupt, and egregiously incompetent, plastic surgeon.-Plot summary:...
(1989) - Native TongueNative Tongue (Carl Hiaasen novel)Native Tongue is a novel by Carl Hiaasen, published in 1991. It is set in Florida, where a journalist, Joe Winder, investigates the disappearance of the last two rare "Blue Tongued Mango voles" from the "Amazing Kingdom of Thrills" in north Key Largo....
(1991) - Strip Tease (1993) (filmed in 1996 as StripteaseStriptease (film)-Release:Striptease was distributed by Sony and was finally released in the United States on June 28, 1996, after a June 23 premiere in New York City. It opened in Australia, France and Germany in August, and Argentina, Italy, Bolivia, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Brazil and Japan in...
by Andrew BergmanAndrew BergmanAndrew Bergman is an American screenwriter, film director, and novelist. New York magazine in 1985 dubbed him "The Unknown King of Comedy".He graduated from Binghamton University and earned a Ph.D...
, starring Demi MooreDemi MooreDemi Guynes Kutcher , known professionally as Demi Moore, is an American actress. After minor roles in film and a role in the soap opera General Hospital, Moore established her career in films such as St...
and Burt ReynoldsBurt ReynoldsBurton Leon "Burt" Reynolds, Jr. is an American actor. Some of his memorable roles include Bo 'Bandit' Darville in Smokey and the Bandit, Lewis Medlock in Deliverance, Bobby "Gator" McCluskey in White Lightning and sequel Gator, Paul Crewe and Coach Nate Scarborough in The Longest Yard and its...
) - Stormy Weather (1995)
- Lucky YouLucky You (novel)Lucky You is a 1997 novel by Carl Hiaasen. It is set in Florida, and is based around JoLayne Lucks, a black woman who is one of two winners of a lottery.-Plot:...
(1997) - Naked Came the ManateeNaked Came the ManateeNaked Came the Manatee is a mystery thriller parody novel published in 1996. It is composed of thirteen chapters, each written by a different Miami-area writer. It was originally published as a serial in the Miami Herald's Tropic magazine, one chapter per issue, and later published as a single novel...
(1998) (Collaboration with 12 other authors) - Sick PuppySick PuppySick Puppy is a novel by Carl Hiaasen.-Plot summary:Florida's corrupt governor, Dick Artemus, pursues schemes to line his pockets and those of his rich entrepreneur backers at the expense of the environment. His schemes have always foundered in the past, but he has high hopes of a plan involving...
(2000) - Basket CaseBasket Case (novel)Basket Case, published in 2002, is the ninth novel by Carl Hiaasen. It is a classic Hiaasen crime novel, set in Florida. It opens with the death of James Stomarti , an ostensibly washed-up former lead man of "Jimmy and the Slut Puppies"....
(2002) - Skinny Dip (2004)
- Nature GirlNature Girl (novel)-Plot introduction:Honey Santana becomes irritated by telemarketers and invites a particularly obnoxious one to a phony real estate promotion - which she describes as an eco-tour - in the Ten Thousand Islands in order to teach him a lesson...
(2006) - Star IslandStar Island (novel)Star Island is a 2010 novel by Carl Hiaasen, released on Tuesday, July 27, 2010.The novel takes its name from Star Island in Miami Beach, Florida, where part of the story takes place.-Plot summary:...
(2010)
With Bill Montalbano
- Powder Burn (1981)
- Trap Line (1982)
- A Death in China (1984)
Young Adult Fiction
- HootHoot (novel)Hoot is a young-adult novel by Carl Hiaasen. The story takes place in Coconut Cove, Florida, where Roy and his two new friends try to stop construction of a pancake house which would destroy a colony of burrowing owls who live on the site...
(2002) (young adult novelYoung adult literatureYoung-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
) (released as a movieHoot (film)Hoot is a 2006 American family comedy film based on Carl Hiaasen's novel of the same name. It was directed by Wil Shriner and produced by New Line Cinema and Walden Media. Hoot was released on May 5, 2006....
in May 2006 by director Wil ShrinerWil ShrinerWil Shriner is an American actor, comedian, director and game show host.-Life and career:Shriner was born in New York City, New York, the twin brother of soap opera actor Kin Shriner and the son of Eileen “Pixie” McDermott and Herb Shriner, a Hoosier humorist who had several shows in the early...
) - FlushFlush (novel)Flush is a young adult novel by Carl Hiaasen first published in 2005, and set in Hiaasen's native Florida. It is his second young adult novel, after Hoot. The plot is similar to Hoot but it doesn't have the same cast and is not a continuation.-Plot:...
(2005) (young adult novel) - ScatScat (novel)Scat is a teenage novel by Carl Hiaasen, published in 2009. Scat tells the mystery of a missing teacher named Mrs. Bunny Starch, and how two of her students, Nick and Marta, do everything to find her. The book is held in over 1,000 libraries, according to WorldCat...
(2009) (young adult novel) - Chomp (scheduled for release March 27, 2012) (young adult novel)
Short stories
- "Tart of Darkness" (2003, Sports Illustrated Swimsuit IssueSports Illustrated Swimsuit IssueThe Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue is published annually by Sports Illustrated. It features fashion models wearing swimwear in exotic locales. According to some, the magazine is the arbiter of supermodel succession. In addition, the issue is a media nexus that in 2005 carried in advertising....
)
Non-fiction
- Team RodentTeam RodentTeam Rodent is a non-fiction book written by Carl Hiaasen about the Walt Disney Company and its stance towards the outside world. The book's primary focus is on non-film related Disney enterprises such as Disney World and their effects on the environment and local culture.-See also:*The Walt Disney...
: How DisneyWalt DisneyWalter Elias "Walt" Disney was an American film producer, director, screenwriter, voice actor, animator, entrepreneur, entertainer, international icon, and philanthropist, well-known for his influence in the field of entertainment during the 20th century. Along with his brother Roy O...
Devours the World (1998) - Kick Ass (1999)
- Paradise Screwed: Selected Columns (2001)
- The Downhill Lie (2008)
Collections
- A Carl Hiaasen Collection (2000) (an audiobook set containing Tourist SeasonTourist SeasonTourist Season is a 1986 novel by Carl Hiaasen. It was his first solo novel, after co-writing several mystery/thriller novels with William Montalbano.-Plot:...
, Stormy Weather, and Strip TeaseStrip Tease (book)Strip Tease is a 1993 novel by Carl Hiaasen. Like most of his other novels, it is a crime novel set in Florida and features Hiassen's characteristic black humor...
)
Awards
"Hoot," Hiassen's first book for young readers, has won both a Newbery Honor from the Association for Library Service to ChildrenAssociation for Library Service to Children
The Association for Library Service to Children is a division of the American Library Association. Its members are concerned with the profession of children's Librarianship...
and won the 2005 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award
Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award
The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award is a program sponsored by the Illinois Association of Teachers of English, the Illinois Reading Council, and the Illinois School Library Media Association. The award has been granted annually since 1988...
, selected for the latter honor by school-age children (grades 4-8) in the U.S. State of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.