Jay Asher
Encyclopedia
Jay Asher is an American writer of contemporary novels for teens. He has one major publication in the genre of Young Adult Literature
.
, California
on September 30, 1975. He grew up in a family that encouraged all of his interests, from playing the guitar
to his writing. He attended College right after graduating from San Luis Obispo High School
. It was here where he wrote his first two children’s books for a class called Children’s Literature Appreciation. After high school, he had decided he wanted to become an elementary school teacher. He then transferred to California Polytechnic State University
in San Luis Obispo
where he left his senior year in order to pursue his career as a serious writer. He is married. Throughout his life he worked in various establishments, including as a salesman in a shoe store and in libraries and bookstores. Many of his work experiences had an impact on some aspect of his writing.
He has written several picture books and middle school humor novels. Thirteen Reasons Why has won several awards and has received five stars from Teen Book Review. It also has received high praise from fellow authors such as Ellen Hopkins
, Sherman Alexie
, and Chris Crutcher
, and Gordon Korman.
Asher is a fan of the TV series My So-Called Life
. He cites it as a major influence on his writing.
Young adult literature
Young-adult fiction or young adult literature , also juvenile fiction, is fiction written for, published for, or marketed to adolescents and young adults, roughly ages 14 to 21. The Young Adult Library Services of the American Library Association defines a young adult as "someone between the...
.
Biography
Jay Asher was born in ArcadiaArcadia, California
Arcadia is an affluent city in Los Angeles County, California, United States, and located approximately northeast of downtown Los Angeles in the San Gabriel Valley and at the base of the San Gabriel Mountains....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
on September 30, 1975. He grew up in a family that encouraged all of his interests, from playing the guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
to his writing. He attended College right after graduating from San Luis Obispo High School
San Luis Obispo High School
San Luis Obispo High School, also referred to as "SLO High", is an American public high school in San Luis Obispo, California. It is the only non-continuation public high school within the city. The school is a member of the San Luis Coastal Unified School District and serves primarily students...
. It was here where he wrote his first two children’s books for a class called Children’s Literature Appreciation. After high school, he had decided he wanted to become an elementary school teacher. He then transferred to California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University
California Polytechnic State University, or Cal Poly, is a public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, United States. The university is one of two polytechnic campuses in the 23-member California State University system....
in San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, California
San Luis Obispo is a city in California, located roughly midway between San Francisco and Los Angeles on the Central Coast. Founded in 1772 by Spanish Fr. Junipero Serra, San Luis Obispo is one of California’s oldest communities...
where he left his senior year in order to pursue his career as a serious writer. He is married. Throughout his life he worked in various establishments, including as a salesman in a shoe store and in libraries and bookstores. Many of his work experiences had an impact on some aspect of his writing.
Career
He has published two books to date, Thirteen Reasons Why, a 2007 New York Times best-selling young-adult fiction novel, and "The Future of Us", co written by Carolyn Mackler.He has written several picture books and middle school humor novels. Thirteen Reasons Why has won several awards and has received five stars from Teen Book Review. It also has received high praise from fellow authors such as Ellen Hopkins
Ellen Hopkins
Ellen Hopkins is a novelist who has published several New York Times bestselling novels that are popular among the teenage and young adult audience.-Career:...
, Sherman Alexie
Sherman Alexie
Sherman Joseph Alexie, Jr. is a writer, poet, filmmaker, and occasional comedian. Much of his writing draws on his experiences as a Native American. Two of Alexie's best known works are The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven , a book of short stories and Smoke Signals, a film...
, and Chris Crutcher
Chris Crutcher
-Biography:Crutcher was born to a World War II bomber pilot and a homemaker on July 17, 1946, in Dayton, Ohio. They later moved to Cascade, Idaho, where Crutcher grew up....
, and Gordon Korman.
Asher is a fan of the TV series My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life
My So-Called Life is an American teen drama television series created by Winnie Holzman and produced by Edward Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz. It originally aired on ABC from August 25, 1994, to January 26, 1995 and was distributed by The Bedford Falls Company with ABC Productions. Set at the...
. He cites it as a major influence on his writing.
Published works
- Thirteen Reasons WhyThirteen Reasons WhyThirteen Reasons Why is a 2007 New York Times best-selling young-adult fiction novel written by Jay Asher. The book was published by RazorBill, a young adult imprint of Penguin Books. The paperback edition hit #1 on the New York Times bestseller list in July 2011...
(2007). This is the story of Hannah Baker, a girl who committed suicideSuicideSuicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
. She reveals her thirteen reasons for her decision in a series of 7 audio tapes mailed to a classmate with instructions to pass them from one student to another, in the style of a chain letter. Through Hannah's recorded voice, her classmates learn the reasons why Hannah decides to take her own life. Besides Hannah, the reader also sees the story through the eyes of Clay Jensen, one of the recipients of the tapes. Asher was inspired to write due to incidents that happened in his high school.
- The Future of UsThe Future of UsThe Future of Us is a 2011 contemporary fiction novel written by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. The novel was published on November 21, 2011 by Razorbill, a division of Penguins Young Readers Group.-Plot:...
(2011) This was co written with Carolyn Mackler. This is the story of Josh and Emma, two teenagers who used to be best friends until a huge misunderstanding. In 1996, Josh helps Emma set up her internet, only to find Facebook- before it has been invented. There, they can see themselves 15 years in the future- status updates, information, friends, etc.. Using facebook, they are able to change there destinies.
External links
- Official web site of Thirteen Reasons Why, featuring an interactive map of the town
- Disco Mermaids, A blog of three authors Robin Mellom, Jay Asher and Eve Porinchak
- New York Times article on Thirteen Reasons Why
- Play review in Daily Herald