Peter Matthiessen

Peter Matthiessen (born May 22, 1927 in New York City) is an American author of historical fiction and non-fiction.

Related Topics:
May 22 - 1927 - New York City

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Matthiessen's work is known for its meticulous approach to research. He frequently focuses on American Indian issues and history, as in his detailed study of the Leonard Peltier case, In the Spirit of Crazy Horse.

Related Topics:
American Indian - Leonard Peltier

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The Snow Leopard won the National Book Award in 1979 in the category of Contemporary Thought. His novel, At Play in the Fields of the Lord, concerning American missionary to a South American tribe, was made into a major Hollywood movie of the same name in 1991.

Related Topics:
National Book Award - At Play in the Fields of the Lord

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More recently, Matthiessen's fiction trilogy - Killing Mr. Watson, Lost Man's River, and Bone by Bone - was based on the actual killing of Florida planter Edgar J. Watson shortly after the Southwest Florida Hurricane of 1910.

Related Topics:
Florida - Southwest Florida Hurricane of 1910

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Matthiessen became a Zen practitioner and later a Buddhist priest. He lives in Sagaponack, New York.

Related Topics:
Zen - Buddhist - Sagaponack, New York

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