Patty Dann
Encyclopedia
Patty Dann is an American
novelist and nonfiction writer. She wrote Mermaids, a coming-of-age novel about a teenage girl published in 1986. In 1990, it was made into a movie starring Cher
, Winona Ryder
, Bob Hoskins and Christina Ricci
. She wrote one other novel, "Sweet & Crazy" (2003), about a 39-year-old woman who lives with her young son in a small town in Ohio
, as the events of September 11, 2001 impacted their lives. She is the author of two memoirs, Baby Boat: A Memoir of Adoption (1998) about the adoption of her son, and The Goldfish Went on Vacation: A Memoir of Loss (and Learning to Tell the Truth About it) (2007) about the death of her husband from brain cancer. It has been translated into Chinese, Dutch, German and Korean. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, O, Redbook, More, Poets & Writers, Forbes Woman, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, The Writer’s Handbook and Dirt: An Anthology About Keeping House. She served as a judge for the Scholastic Young Writers Awards. She has an MFA
in Writing from Columbia University
and a B.A. from the University of Oregon
. Dann taught at Sarah Lawrence College
and the West Side YMCA. She was cited by New York Magazine as one of the “Great Teachers of NYC.” In 2008, she married Michael Hill, a journalist. She has one son and two stepsons.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist and nonfiction writer. She wrote Mermaids, a coming-of-age novel about a teenage girl published in 1986. In 1990, it was made into a movie starring Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...
, Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder
Winona Ryder is an American actress. She made her film debut in the 1986 film Lucas. Ryder's first significant role came in Tim Burton's Beetlejuice as a goth teenager, which won her critical and commercial recognition...
, Bob Hoskins and Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
. She wrote one other novel, "Sweet & Crazy" (2003), about a 39-year-old woman who lives with her young son in a small town in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, as the events of September 11, 2001 impacted their lives. She is the author of two memoirs, Baby Boat: A Memoir of Adoption (1998) about the adoption of her son, and The Goldfish Went on Vacation: A Memoir of Loss (and Learning to Tell the Truth About it) (2007) about the death of her husband from brain cancer. It has been translated into Chinese, Dutch, German and Korean. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, O, Redbook, More, Poets & Writers, Forbes Woman, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Chicago Tribune, Christian Science Monitor, The Writer’s Handbook and Dirt: An Anthology About Keeping House. She served as a judge for the Scholastic Young Writers Awards. She has an MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in Writing from Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
and a B.A. from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
. Dann taught at Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...
and the West Side YMCA. She was cited by New York Magazine as one of the “Great Teachers of NYC.” In 2008, she married Michael Hill, a journalist. She has one son and two stepsons.