Pete Dexter American writer Date of Birth: 22.07.1943 Country: USA

1. Biography of Pete Dexter
2. Journalism Career
3. Transition to Fiction Writing
4. Success with "Paris Trout"
5. Continued Writing Career
6. Personal Life

Biography of Pete Dexter

Born in Pontiac, Michigan, Pete Dexter is an American writer best known for his novel "Paris Trout," which won the prestigious National Book Award in the United States. He was raised by his mother, who remarried a physics professor and moved with him to Milledgeville, Georgia when Pete was four years old.

Journalism Career

After working as a journalist for various newspapers such as the "Philadelphia Daily News," "The Sacramento Bee," and "Seattle Post-Intelligencer," Dexter joined "The Palm Beach Post" in 1972. However, he left the newspaper due to disagreements with the publisher over political matters.

Transition to Fiction Writing

In the early 1980s, Dexter had a life-changing experience in Grays Ferry, where he was brutally attacked by a mob for a controversial column he wrote. This incident prompted him to reevaluate his life and shift his focus to writing fiction. Despite suffering multiple fractures from the attack, Dexter published his first novel, "God's Pocket," in 1983, followed by "Deadwood" in 1986.

Success with "Paris Trout"

Dexter's most renowned novel, "Paris Trout," was published in 1988. The book received the National Book Award for Fiction and gained even more recognition through its film adaptation. Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal, the film starred Dennis Hopper as the racist protagonist, Paris Trout, who kills the sister and mother of an African American man he is owed money from.

Continued Writing Career

Following the success of "Paris Trout," Dexter released another novel, "Brotherly Love," in 1991, which was well-received by readers. In 1996, he published "The Paperboy," which won the Literary Award. Dexter continued his writing career with the release of "Train" in 2003 and "Spooner" in 2006.

Personal Life

Pete Dexter currently resides and works in Whidbey Island, Washington. In addition to his novels, he has also worked on several film scripts, including "Paris Trout," "Rush," "Michael," and "Mulholland Falls." In 2012, a film adaptation of his novel "The Paperboy" was released.