Sara Paretsky
Sara Paretsky (born June 8, 1947 in Ames , Iowa ) is an American writer, who became known with the crime novels about the private detective VI Warshawski.
Life
Sara Paretsky grew up in the US state of Kansas and studied political science at the University of Kansas in Lawrence . In 1977 she completed both an MBA and a PhD in history from the University of Chicago . For the next ten years she worked in marketing for a Chicago insurance company.
Sara Paretsky wanted to be a writer as a child, but did not start writing until she was in her mid-thirties. Every other year since 1983, a novel has been published with her protagonist, the tough private detective VI Warshawski. In 1986 she founded the organization Sisters in Crime together with other crime and thriller authors . A German-speaking section Murderous Sisters has existed since 1996.
Sara Paretsky's life partner was physics professor Courtney Wright from 1970 until his death in 2018, with whom she has three children. She lives in Chicago.
VI Warshawski
Emergence
“I loved detective fiction, but I was troubled by the way women were traditionally portrayed in that genre - they always seemed to be either evil or powerless. I thought it was time for a tough, smart, likable female private investigator, and that's how VI came to life. "
“I liked detective stories, but I didn't like the way women are traditionally portrayed in this genre - they always seemed either evil or powerless. I thought the time was ripe for a tough, clever and lovable private investigator, and so VI was born. "
The figure
The main character in the Warshawski franchise is VI Warshawski, who runs a private detective agency in Chicago. In order not to be underestimated as a woman from the outset, she does not use her maiden name Victoria. She is proficient in karate and can handle the firearm perfectly, a skill she learned from her late father, a police officer.
Unlike her tough male colleagues, she is able to form strong bonds, the most enduring ones with a Jewish doctor. Their partner Max is also a constant figure in the novels, as is Mr. Contreras, an older neighbor who takes care of Warshawski and her dogs Peppy and Mitch in emergencies. In some novels she has a male partner in Morrell who works for a human rights organization.
Works
The VI Warshawski series
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Indemnity Only (1982)
- Damages, German by Uta Münch; Piper, Munich / Zurich 1986. ISBN 3-492-15507-3
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Deadlock (1984)
- Deadlock, German by Katja Münch; Piper, Munich / Zurich 1986. ISBN 3-492-15512-X
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Killing Orders (1985)
- Pious wishes, German by Katja Münch; Piper, Munich / Zurich 1988. ISBN 3-492-15517-0
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Bitter Medicine (1987)
- Deadly therapy, German by Anette Grube, Piper, Munich / Zurich 1989. ISBN 3-492-15535-9
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Blood Shot (1988 / British title: Toxic Shock )
- Blood Shot, German by Anette Grube, Piper, Munich / Zurich 1990. ISBN 3-492-03350-4
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Burn Marks (1990)
- Brandstifter, German by Dietlind Kaiser, Piper, Munich / Zurich 1992. ISBN 3-492-03447-0
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Guardian Angel (1992)
- One for all, German by Dietlind Kaiser, Piper, Munich / Zurich 1993. ISBN 3-492-03133-1
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Tunnel Vision (1994)
- Engel im Schacht, German by Sonja Hauser, Piper, Munich / Zurich 1995. ISBN 3-492-03574-4
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Hard Time (1999)
- The Missing Woman, German by Sonja Hauser, Piper, Munich / Zurich 2001. ISBN 3-492-04092-6
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Total Recall (2001)
- Your real name, German by Sonja Hauser, Piper, Munich / Zurich 2002. ISBN 3-492-04396-8
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Blacklist (2003)
- Blacklist, German by Sibylle Schmidt, Goldmann, Munich 2004. ISBN 3-442-31000-8
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Fire Sale (2005)
- Feuereifer, German by Sibylle Schmidt, Goldmann, Munich 2007. ISBN 3-442-31001-6
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Hardball (2009)
- Hardball, German by Monica Bachler, Dumont, Cologne 2011. ISBN 978-3-8321-6160-6
- Body Work (2010)
- Breakdown (2012)
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Critical Mass (2013)
- Critical Mass, German by Else Laudan; Ariadne Verlag (Argument), Hamburg 2018. ISBN 978-3-86754-236-4
- Brush Back (2015)
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Fallout (2017)
- Altlasten, German by Else Laudan; Ariadne Verlag (Argument), Hamburg 2020. ISBN 978-3-86754-244-9
- Shell Game (2018)
- Dead Land (2020)
Other novels
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Ghost Country (1998)
- Geisterland, German by Sonja Hauser, Piper, Munich / Zurich 1998. ISBN 3-492-03575-2
- Bleeding Kansas (2008)
Volumes of short stories
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Windy City Blues (1995 / British title: VI for Short )
- Windy City Blues, German by Sonja Hauser u. a., Piper, Munich / Zurich 1997. ISBN 3-492-25650-3
- A Taste of Life and Other Stories (1995)
Non-fiction
- Case Studies in Alternative Education (1975)
- Writing in an Age of Silence (2007)
As editor
- A Woman's Eye: New Stories by the Best Women Crime Writers (1991), including Eye of a Woman (Introduction) and Settled Score by Sara Paretsky
- Women on the Case (1997; British title: Woman's Other Eye ), with an introduction and the story of Publicity Stunts by Sara Paretsky
- Sisters on the case . Celebrating Twenty Years of Sisters in Crime (2007), with an introduction and the story A Family Sunday in the Park by Sara Paretsky
Awards
- 1988 Silver Dagger for Blood Shot
- 1993 Marlowe - International category for Guardian Angel
- 2002 Cartier Diamond Dagger of the British Crime Writers' Association (CWA)
- 2004 Gold Dagger for Blacklist
- 2011 Grand Master Award , highest award of the Mystery Writers of America (MWA) for special achievements in the crime genre and the consistently high quality of their works
- 2011 Shamus Award - The Hammer category for VI Warshawski for the best character portrayal of a single private detective or a private detective series
- 2015 City of Literature Paul Engle Prize, an award for commitment to a better world that goes beyond just writing
- 2019 Chicago Literary Hall of Fame's Fuller Award for Lifelong Dedication to Literature
- 2019 Sue Grafton Memorial Award (one of the younger "Edgars" of the Mystery Writers of America (MWA): awarded the best book in a crime series about a female main character) for Shell Game
Film adaptations
Web links
- Literature by and about Sara Paretsky in the catalog of the German National Library
- Sara Paretsky's website
- Sisters in Crime
- Sisters in Crime German Chapter - Murderous Sisters
- The CWA CARTIER DIAMOND DAGGER 2002
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Paretsky, Sara |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American crime novelist |
DATE OF BIRTH | June 8, 1947 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Ames, Iowa |