T. Geronimo Johnson is an American filmmaker and novelist. His debut novel, Hold It 'Til It Hurts, was a finalist for the 2013 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction. His sophomore novel, Welcome to Braggsville, won the 2015 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, the 2016 William Saroyan International Prize for Fiction Writing, and the inaugural Simpson Family Literary Prize in 2017.
Early life and education
Johnson was born and raised in New Orleans.
Johnson received a Bachelor of Arts in philosophy and religious studies from Oglethorpe University; a Master of Arts in language, literacy, and culture from the University of California, Berkeley; and a Master of Fine Arts in poetry from the Iowa Writers' Workshop. He was also a Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. Between 2017–2018, Johnson was a Rome Prize Fellow.
As of 2024, he is in the process of completing a Doctor of Philosophy in language, literacy, and culture from University of California, Berkeley.
Career
Johnson has taught writing at multiple universities, including the University of California, Berkeley; Stanford University; Oregon State University; and Texas State University; among others.
In 2007, Johnson's short story "Winter Never Quits" was included in Harvest Books' Best New American Voices 2007.
First novel
Johnson's debut novel, Hold It 'Til It Hurts, was published by Coffee House Press in 2012. The novel was a finalist for the 2013 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction.
Second novel
Johnson's second novel, Welcome to Braggsville, was published by William Morrow and Company in 2015. The novel won the 2015 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence, 2016 William Saroyan International Prize for Fiction Writing, and 2017 Simpson Family Literary Prize. It was also a runner-up for the Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award, longlisted for the 2015 National Book Award for Fiction and 2016 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction, and nominated for the 2016 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. NPR and Time also included it on their list of the best books of 2015.
In 2016, after his nomination the previous year, Johnson was named a judge for the National Book Award for Fiction.
Awards and honors
NPR and Time included Welcome to Braggsville on their lists of the best books of 2015.
| Year | Title | Award | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Hold It 'Til It Hurts | PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction | — | Finalist | |
| 2015 | Welcome to Braggsville | Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence | — | Won | |
| 2015 | National Book Award | Fiction | Longlisted | ||
| 2016 | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence | Fiction | Longlisted | ||
| Hurston/Wright Legacy Award | General Fiction | Nominated | |||
| Mark Twain American Voice in Literature Award | — | Runner-Up | |||
| William Saroyan International Prize for Writing | Fiction | Won | |||
| 2017 | Simpson Family Literary Prize | — | Won |
Publications
Novels
- —— (2012). Hold It 'Til It Hurts. Coffee House Press. ISBN 9781566893091.
- —— (2015). Welcome to Braggsville (1st ed.). William Morrow and Co. ISBN 9780062302120.
Short stories
 | This list is incomplete; you can help by adding missing items. (May 2024) |
- Miller, Sue, ed. (2007). "Winter Never Quits". Best New American Voices 2007. Harvest Books. ISBN 9780156031554.
References
- ^ "T. Geronimo Johnson". Vermont College of Fine Arts. Archived from the original on 2023-10-03. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "T. Geronimo Johnson". National Book Foundation. Archived from the original on 2023-09-30. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Awards: Simpson Family; Green Carnation". Shelf Awareness. 2017-05-02. Archived from the original on 2023-04-29. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- "Best New American Voices 2007". Publishers Weekly. 2006-10-01. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- "Hold It Til It Hurts". Kirkus Reviews. 2012-08-01. Archived from the original on 2020-10-23. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- "Hold It 'Til It Hurts by T Geronimo Johnson". Publishers Weekly. 2012-06-18. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Awards: B&N Discover; PEN/Faulkner Fiction; Lambda". Shelf Awareness. March 7, 2013. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
- "Welcome to Braggsville". Kirkus Reviews. 2014-12-06. Archived from the original on 2021-08-03. Retrieved 2024-05-27.
- "Welcome to Braggsville by T Geronimo Johnson". Publishers Weekly. 2014-10-27. Archived from the original on 2021-10-21. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Awards: PEN Literary Shortlists; Ernest J. Gaines Winner". Shelf Awareness. 2016-02-03. Archived from the original on 2023-12-25. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ^ "Lori Jakiela and T. Geronimo Johnson win Stanford's 2016 Saroyan Prize for Writing". Stanford University. 2016-08-29. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Awards: Mark Twain American Voice". Shelf Awareness. 2016-08-11. Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Awards: NBA Fiction Longlist". Shelf Awareness. 2015-09-18. Archived from the original on 2024-02-22. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "2016 Winners | Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ Lehmann, Bruch (2016-10-25). "Professor Vievee Francis' 'Forest Primeval' wins Hurston/Wright Legacy Award". Dartmouth College. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-04-29.
- ^ "NPR's Book Concierge". NPR. 2015. Archived from the original on 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- ^ "Time Magazine's Top 10 Fiction Books of 2015, Time Magazine's Best Books of 2015, Books". Barnes & Noble. Archived from the original on 2024-05-28. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
- Maher, John (2016-04-01). "Judges Announced for National Book Awards". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2023-12-09. Retrieved 2024-05-28.