Donald Barthelme: A Literary Pioneer

Donald Barthelme Jr. (pronounced BAR-thəl-mee or BAR-təl-mee; April 7, 1931 – July 23, 1989) was an American short story writer and novelist known for his playful, postmodernist style of short fiction. He is considered one of the most influential American fiction writers of the 20th century.

Life and Career

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Barthelme moved with his family to Houston, Texas, when he was two years old. He studied journalism at the University of Houston, where he also worked as a newspaper reporter. After graduating in 1953, he served in the Korean War. Upon his return, he continued his studies at the University of Houston, but never received a degree.

Barthelme began writing in the late 1950s, and his work was soon published in literary magazines such as The Kenyon Review and The Paris Review. His first collection of short stories, Come Back, Dr. Caligari, was published in 1964. He went on to publish over a dozen more collections of stories, as well as several novels, including Snow White (1967), The Dead Father (1975), and Paradise (1986).

Barthelme’s writing is characterized by its fragmentary, nonlinear structure, its use of humor and irony, and its exploration of themes of alienation, identity, and the nature of reality. He was a master of the short story form, and his work has been praised for its originality, inventiveness, and wit.

Barthelme was a prolific writer and editor, and he played a key role in the development of postmodernist literature in the United States. He was a founding editor of the influential literary magazine Fiction, and he taught creative writing at several universities, including the University of Iowa and the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Barthelme was a recipient of numerous awards, including the National Book Award for Fiction (1972) and the Guggenheim Fellowship (1965). He died in Houston in 1989 at the age of 58.

Legacy

Donald Barthelme is considered one of the most important American fiction writers of the 20th century. His work has had a profound influence on generations of writers, and he is credited with helping to shape the development of postmodernist literature.

Barthelme’s writing is still widely read and admired today. His stories are anthologized in many textbooks and literary collections, and they continue to be translated into languages around the world. He is considered a master of the short story form, and his work is praised for its originality, inventiveness, and wit.

Here are some of Donald Barthelme’s most famous works:

Short stories:

“The School” (1961)

“The Balloon” (1964)

“The King of Siam” (1964)

“A City of Confession” (1965)

“Secret History” (1967)

“The Dead Father” (1975)

“See the World Go by!” (1980)

Novels:

Snow White (1967)

The Dead Father (1975)