Japanese Literary Awards

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George P. Pelecanos

ジョージ・P・ペレケーノス

George P. Pelecanos

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1957-02-18 （Washington, D.C., United States）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Washington, D.C. (birthplace) → Silver Spring, Maryland, United States (suburb)

Career

Occupations
Novelist, Journalist, Screenwriter, Producer
Active Years
1992-
Influenced By
James Ellroy, David Simon
Nominations
Gold Dagger (1998, King Suckerman), Anthony Award (2003, Hell to Pay), Barry Award nominations (multiple years)

Education

University of Maryland
Country: United States
Attended; specific degree and graduation year not specified in source

Awards

Falcon Award (Maltese Falcon Society)
1999
Work: The Big Blowdown
Organization: Maltese Falcon Society
Result: 受賞
Writers Guild of America Award
2008
Work: The Wire (Season 4)
Category: テレビシリーズ
Organization: Writers Guild of America (WGA)
Result: 受賞
Edgar Award (Television)
2007
Work: The Wire (Season 4)
Category: テレビミニシリーズ／テレビ部門
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: 受賞
Barry Award (Best Novel)
2007
Work: The Night Gardener
Category: 長編賞
Organization: Barry Awards Committee
Result: 受賞
Hammett Prize
2008
Work: The Turnaround
Organization: International Association of Crime Writers (IACW)
Result: 受賞
German Crime Fiction Award (Translated category, 2nd place)
2000
Work: The Big Blowdown (Japanese/German translation)
Category: 翻訳作品部門（第2位）
Organization: German Crime Fiction Award committee
Result: 受賞（第2位）
Gold Dagger
1998
Work: King Suckerman
Organization: Crime Writers' Association (UK)
Result: ノミネート
Anthony Award (Best Novel)
2003
Work: Hell to Pay
Category: 長編賞
Organization: Bouchercon
Result: ノミネート

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

A Firing Offense

1992 Crime fiction / Hardboiled

First of the Nick Stefanos novels, a first-person private-eye story set in Washington, D.C., introducing Pelecanos's early hardboiled tone.

urban declineGreek-American identitycrime and justice
Translations
  • A Firing Offense (Japanese translation)

The Big Blowdown

1996 Hardboiled / Crime 320 pages

First novel of the D.C. Quartet, spanning postwar to modern Washington and exploring changes in the city through crime fiction.

urban transformationpostwar generational conflictviolence and redemption
Translations
  • The Big Blowdown (Japanese translation)

The Night Gardener

2006 Crime fiction 352 pages

Interweaving stories of multiple characters exploring violence, memory and redemption; features a cameo-like self-reference.

memoryatonementcommunity renewal
Translations
  • The Night Gardener (Japanese translation)

Hard Revolution

2004 Historical crime 320 pages

Set around 1968 Washington, the novel treats race, policing and community tensions, depicting Derek Strange's early years.

race relationshistory and memoryinstitutions vs individuals
Translations
  • Hard Revolution (Japanese translation)

The Turnaround

2008 Crime / Roots exploration 304 pages

A work that looks to the author's roots, opening in a 1970s Greek diner and moving into the present.

rootsimmigrant historyfamily

Bibliography

  • A Firing Offense
  • Nick's Trip
  • Shoedog
  • The Big Blowdown
  • King Suckerman
  • The Sweet Forever
  • Shame the Devil
  • Right as Rain
  • Hell to Pay
  • Soul Circus
  • Hard Revolution
  • Drama City
  • The Night Gardener
  • The Turnaround
  • The Way Home
  • The Cut

Adaptations

  • The Wire (staff writer / producer contributions)
  • The Pacific (co-producer / writer)
  • Treme (writer)
  • Bosch (writer)

Translations of Works

  • Multiple works translated into Japanese (Hayakawa Mystery Bunko, etc.)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Hardboiled urban realismDetailed dialogue-driven scenes and vivid urban description
Recurring Motifs
Washington, D.C. urban changeGreek-American family rootsViolence and redemption

Legacy

Pelecanos achieved international recognition for his Washington, D.C.-set crime novels and succeeded as a television writer/producer. His portrayals of urban America, poverty and community have influenced both literature and screenwriting.

Academic Societies

  • No specific academic society membership listed

Archives

In Popular Culture

  • High profile in television drama due to writing/producing on The Wire

Quotes

  • I'm interested in city life and the redemption of the people who live in it.
    Source: Interview (excerpt) (2008)

Trivia

  • Of Greek descent; many novels are set in Washington, D.C.
  • Contributed as writer/producer to TV shows such as The Wire and The Pacific.
  • Has released editions of some books with accompanying CDs.