Origins & Early Life

William Thomas Gaddis Jr. (December 29, 1922 – December 16, 1998) was an American novelist. The first and longest of his five novels, The Recognitions, was named one of TIME magazine's 100 best novels from 1923 to 2005 and two others, J R and A Frolic of His Own, won the annual U.S. National Book Award for Fiction.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

A collection of his essays was published posthumously as The Rush for Second Place (2002). The Letters of William Gaddis was published by Dalkey Archive Press in February 2013. A MacArthur Fellow, Gaddis is widely considered one of the first and most important American postmodern writers. Gaddis was born in New York City to William Thomas Gaddis, who worked "on Wall Street and in politics", and Edith (Charles) Gaddis, who worked her way up from being secretary to the president of the New York Steam Corporation to an executive position as its chief purchasing agent. When he was three, his parents separated and Gaddis was subsequently raised by his mother in Massapequa, Long Island.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

At age 5 he was sent to Merricourt Boarding School in Berlin, Connecticut. He continued in private school until the eighth grade, after which he returned to Long Island to...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Aage Bohr — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Agostinho Neto — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Angolan communist revolutionary, poet, and first President of Angola.
• Alain Resnais — Contemporary (Born in 1922) (1922): Pioneering French filmmaker exploring memory, consciousness, and narrative structure.
• Aitana Bonmatí — Contemporary (Born in 1998) (1998): Star Spanish midfielder known for her decorated career with Barcelona and the Spain national team.
• Akira Kurosawa — Contemporary (Died in 1998) (1998): Master of Japanese cinema, known for dynamic style and epic storytelling.
• Alan J. Pakula — Contemporary (Died in 1998) (1998): American film director, writer, and producer known for political thrillers.
• Andrei Tarkovsky — Shared historical date (12-29 · Died) (1986): Master of metaphysical cinema, known for slow pacing and spiritual depth.
• Cheikh Anta Diop — Shared historical date (12-29 · Born) (1923): Senegalese scholar whose work pioneered Afrocentric studies on human origins and African culture.
• Afonso de Albuquerque — Shared historical date (12-16 · Died) (1515): Portuguese general and conquistador who built the Asian Portuguese Empire.
• Anthony Barber — Shared historical date (12-16 · Died) (2005): British Conservative politician, Chancellor of the Exchequer (1970-1974)
• 1922 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1922
• December 29 (12-29) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on December 29
• 1998 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1998
• December 16 (12-16) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on December 16