Garth Stein
Encyclopedia
Garth Stein is an American
author
and film producer
from Seattle
, Washington.
and later received a Master of Fine Arts
degree in film from the University's School of the Arts. Subsequently, Stein worked as a director, producer and/or writer of documentary films, several of which won awards. In 1991, he co-produced an Academy Award
winning short film, The Lunch Date
. He then co-produced The Last Party
, a film commentating on the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Stein also produced and directed a documentary about his sister's brain surgery, entitled When Your Head's Not a Head, It's a Nut.
In addition to his films, Stein took up creative writing. At one time, he taught creative writing
at Tacoma School of the Arts. He has also published three books and one play, Brother Jones, which was produced in Los Angeles
, California
in 2005. His first published novel was Raven Stole the Moon (Pocket, 1998). His second novel, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets (Soho Press, 2005), was selected as a BookSense Pick and won a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award
.
(Harper, 2008) became a New York Times bestseller and a #1 BookSense Pick.
The novel follows the story of Denny, a race car driver and his dog Enzo, who believes he will be reincarnated as a human — following the Mongolian legend that a dog who is prepared will be reincarnated in their next life as a human.
Stein was inspired to write the book after viewing a documentary on Mongolia called State of Dogs and after hearing a reading of the poem "The Revenant," told from a dog's point of view. The race car driving experience of the novels character, Denny, is based on Stein's own experience racing cars. Stein moved from New York City to Seattle in 2001 and became involved in "high performance driver education," received his racing license with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)
won the points championship in the Northwest region Spec Miata
class in 2003. and left racing after a serious crash — while racing in the rain'
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and film producer
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
from Seattle
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
, Washington.
Career
Stein earned a B.A. in 1987 from Columbia College of Columbia UniversityColumbia College of Columbia University
Columbia College is the oldest undergraduate college at Columbia University, situated on the university's main campus in Morningside Heights in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded in 1754 by the Church of England as King's College, receiving a Royal Charter from King George II...
and later received a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
degree in film from the University's School of the Arts. Subsequently, Stein worked as a director, producer and/or writer of documentary films, several of which won awards. In 1991, he co-produced an Academy Award
Academy Award for Live Action Short Film
This name for the Academy Award for Live Action Short Film was introduced in 1974. For the three preceding years it was known as "Short Subjects, Live Action Films." The term "Short Subjects, Live Action Subjects" was used from 1957 until 1970. From 1936 until 1956 there were two separate...
winning short film, The Lunch Date
The Lunch Date
The Lunch Date is a 1990 short film directed by Adam Davidson. It was Davidson's directorial debut.-Awards:It was entered into the 1990 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Short Film Palme d'Or. It later went on to be selected as "Dramatic Achievement" in the Student Academy Awards competition...
. He then co-produced The Last Party
The Last Party
The Last Party is a 1997 book by Adele Morales, second wife of Norman Mailer, whom she married in 1954. It was published in the US by Barricade Books....
, a film commentating on the 1992 Democratic National Convention. Stein also produced and directed a documentary about his sister's brain surgery, entitled When Your Head's Not a Head, It's a Nut.
In addition to his films, Stein took up creative writing. At one time, he taught creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
at Tacoma School of the Arts. He has also published three books and one play, Brother Jones, which was produced in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 2005. His first published novel was Raven Stole the Moon (Pocket, 1998). His second novel, How Evan Broke His Head and Other Secrets (Soho Press, 2005), was selected as a BookSense Pick and won a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award
Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award
Since 1965, the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association, or PNBA, has presented annual awards to recognize excellence in writing from the American Pacific Northwest...
.
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Stein's recent novel, The Art of Racing in the RainThe Art of Racing in the Rain
The Art of Racing in the Rain is a 2008 novel by American author and film producer Garth Stein — told from a dog's point of view. The novel became a New York Times bestseller, has remained on the list for more than 40 weeks, and became a #1 BookSense Pick.-Synopsis:The novel follows the...
(Harper, 2008) became a New York Times bestseller and a #1 BookSense Pick.
The novel follows the story of Denny, a race car driver and his dog Enzo, who believes he will be reincarnated as a human — following the Mongolian legend that a dog who is prepared will be reincarnated in their next life as a human.
Stein was inspired to write the book after viewing a documentary on Mongolia called State of Dogs and after hearing a reading of the poem "The Revenant," told from a dog's point of view. The race car driving experience of the novels character, Denny, is based on Stein's own experience racing cars. Stein moved from New York City to Seattle in 2001 and became involved in "high performance driver education," received his racing license with the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)
Sports Car Club of America
The Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
won the points championship in the Northwest region Spec Miata
Spec Miata
Spec Miata is a class of racing car used in Sports Car Club of America , National Auto Sport Association , and Midwestern Council of Sports Car Clubs road racing events....
class in 2003. and left racing after a serious crash — while racing in the rain'
Personal life
Stein was born in Los Angeles, grew up in Seattle, and after spending eighteen years in New York City, returned to Seattle where he lives with his wife, Andrea Perlbinder Stein, sons Caleb, Eamon and Dashiell — and the family dog, Comet, a lab/poodle mix. When living in New York, played in a rock band, called Zero Band, that rehearsed but rarely performed.External links
- Official website
- Official Twitter
- Garth Stein at the IMDb