John Taylor

Poet, Fiction Writer

Saint-Barthélemy d'Anjou
France
FR

Author's Bio

Born in 1952, in Des Moines, John Taylor has lived in France since 1977. He is the author of thirteen books of short stories, short prose, and poetry—and several of these books have also been translated into foreign languages. He has himself translated the work of many French or French-language poets and writers, including Philippe Jaccottet, Pierre-Albert Jourdan, Jacques Dupin, Louis Calaferte, José-Flore Tappy, Charline Lambert, Catherine Colomb, Jean Frémon, Pierre Voélin, and Pierre Chappuis. He has also translated Italian and modern Greek poets such as Franca Mancinelli, Alfredo de Palchi, Veroniki Dalakoura, Elias Petropoulos, and Elias Papadimitrakopoulos. His critical essays have been gathered in Into the Heart of European Poetry, A Little Tour through European Poetry, and the three-volume Paths to Contemporary French Literature. He is the author of the memoir, Harsh out of Tenderness: The Greek Poet and Urban Folklorist Elias Petropoulos.

Publications & Prizes

Fiction

Books:
Mysteries of the Body and the Mind (Red Hen Press, 2020)
,
The Presence of Things Past (Red Hen Press, 2020)
,
Now the Summer Came to Pass (Xenos Books, 2013)
,
If Night is Falling (Bitter Oleander Press, 2012)
,
Some Sort of Joy (Cedar Hill Books, 2000)
,
The World As It Is (Cedar Hill Books, 1998)

Poetry

Books:
Remembrance of Water & Twenty-Five Trees (Bitter Oleander Press, 2018)
,
Grassy Stairways (MadHat Press, 2017)
,
The Dark Brightness (Xenos Books, 2017)
,
The Apocalypse Tapestries (Xenos Books, 2004)
Prizes won: 

2011 Translation Grant from the NEA for the project to translate the French poet Georges Perros, a book later published by Seagull Books as Paper Collage: Selected Aphorisms and Short Prose. 2013 Raiziss-de Palchi Translation Fellowship from the American Academy of Poets for the project to translate the Italian poet Lorenzo Calogero, a book later published by Chelsea Editions as An Orchid Shining the the Hand: Selected Poems 1932-1960.

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
European American
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
French, German, Greek, Italian
Born in: 
Des Moines, IA
Iowa
Raised in: 
Des Moines, IA
Iowa
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Jan 24, 2024