Arthur C. Clarke Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 7 (1993) award
Marge Piercy
マージ・ピアシー
Māji Piashī
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1936-03-31 （Detroit, Michigan, U.S.）
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Judaism (maternal upbringing)
- Residence History
- Detroit (birthplace) → Chicago (early career) → France (period of residence/study) → Wellfleet, Massachusetts (longtime residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Poet, Novelist, Activist
- Active Years
- 1968-
- Affiliations
- Leapfrog Press (co-runs with husband), Women's Institute for Freedom of the Press (associate)
- Influenced By
- New Left and feminist movements, Marxist political thought, Judaic traditions and storytelling
- Influenced
- William Gibson (credited Piercy's work as influential)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan | — | — | BA | 1953–1957 | United States |
| Northwestern University | — | — | MA | 1957–1958 | United States |
University of Michigan
Degree:
BA
Period:
1953–1957
Year of Graduation:
1957
Country:
United States
Won Hopwood Award for Poetry and Fiction (1957), which helped complete studies and enabled a period in France
Northwestern University
Degree:
MA
Period:
1957–1958
Year of Graduation:
1958
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Arthur C. Clarke Award | He, She and It (aka Body of Glass) | — | Arthur C. Clarke Award committee | winner |
| 1992 | Bradley Award | — | — | New England Poetry Club | winner |
| 1991 | May Sarton Award | — | — | New England Poetry Club | winner |
| 1990 | Golden Rose Poetry Prize | — | — | New England Poetry Club | winner |
| 1978 | National Endowment for the Arts award | — | — | National Endowment for the Arts | recipient |
| 2004 | Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters | — | — | Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati | honor |
Arthur C. Clarke Award
1993
Work:
He, She and It (aka Body of Glass)
Organization:
Arthur C. Clarke Award committee
Result:
winner
Bradley Award
1992
Organization:
New England Poetry Club
Result:
winner
May Sarton Award
1991
Organization:
New England Poetry Club
Result:
winner
Golden Rose Poetry Prize
1990
Organization:
New England Poetry Club
Result:
winner
National Endowment for the Arts award
1978
Organization:
National Endowment for the Arts
Result:
recipient
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
2004
Organization:
Hebrew Union College, Cincinnati
Result:
honor
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Woman on the Edge of Time
1976 Speculative fiction / feminist science fictionA time-traveling/temporal-contact novel that addresses social justice, feminism, and the treatment of the mentally ill; often regarded as a feminist speculative classic.
feminismsocial justicemental health and freedom
He, She and It
1991 Science fictionSet in a future of ecological decline and sprawling megacities, the novel blends Jewish mysticism and the legend of the Golem to examine humanity and technology.
technology and humanityJewish motifsparental custody and oppression
Gone to Soldiers
1987 Historical novelA sweeping World War II historical novel following nine principal characters across the United States, Europe, and Asia.
war and human connectionsmorality and survivalfemale perspectives
The Moon Is Always Female
1980 Poetry collectionA poetry collection centering female experience, seasons, and daily life; considered a feminist classic among her poetry.
female identityseasons and naturedaily life and labor
Bibliography
- Breaking Camp (poetry), 1968
- Woman on the Edge of Time (novel), 1976
- Gone to Soldiers (novel), 1987
- He, She and It (novel), 1991
- The Moon Is Always Female (poetry), 1980
- So You Want to Write (non-fiction), 2001
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- feminist and socially engaged stylepredominantly free verse in poetrynarrative prose that intertwines politics and story
- Recurring Motifs
- women's lives and laborsocial justice and classJudaic tradition and identity
Health
-
Rubella (German measles)幼年期A childhood illness that confined her to bed and led to intensive reading, fostering a love of literature.
-
Rheumatic fever幼年期Extended convalescence encouraged reading and contributed to her development as a writer.
Legacy
Marge Piercy is known for poetry and novels that weave feminist, Marxist/social activism, and Judaic themes. Works such as Woman on the Edge of Time and He, She and It are recognized in feminist SF and discussions of ecology and technology.
Archives
- Marge Piercy papers at the University of Michigan
In Popular Culture
- Influence on cyberpunk and feminist SF (credited by figures such as William Gibson)
Quotes
-
I can’t understand the anger at trans people and LGBTQ etc in general.... Why shouldn’t someone decide they’ve been assigned the wrong gender? What business is it of governments?
Source: Author's blog post (2024) (2024)
Trivia
- Won a Hopwood Award in 1957 which helped her finish college and spend time in France.
- Co-runs Leapfrog Press with her husband, Ira Wood.
- Childhood illnesses (rubella and rheumatic fever) led to prolonged reading that influenced her future writing career.