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But Northwestern Writer-in-Residence Stuart Dybek isn't. The lucky Pilsen native received "the call" yesterday informing him that he was named a 2007 MacArthur Fellow, aka "genius grant" recipient; the fellowship comes with a $500,000 prize that Dybek can use for whatever he likes, no strings attached.
"I think 'stunned' is not too strong a word to use. It came so out of the blue," Dybek told the Trib. "They do this stuff with such perfect stealth. Nobody tells you that you're being considered." Indeed they don't. One of the fascinating aspects of the fellowship is the secrecy in which people are first nominated, and then selected.
Dybek is the author I Sailed With Magellan and The Coast of Chicago, which was chosen for the "One Book, One Chicago" program in 2004. Dybek said he will use the money to help finish up three books he is working on simultaneously.
A complete list of this year's 24 genius-grant winners can be found here. Reading about all the completely talented people who won the award this year made us think if there are any other Chicago natives who would be worthy recipients. If we take the academics out of contention, the people who came to mind are few and far between. But if Ron Huberman can get the Blue and Brown lines up and running and get the state to bail us out, we might give him the nod for next year.
Who else in the city do you think deserves a "genius grant"?
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a jealous hater?
Congratulations to Dybek, he's become one of my favorite writers.
One of the best writers this city has produced.
Chicago sucks in so many ways (politics, civic management, mass transit) but it still produces great writers, either natives or American transplants or immigrants, both experimental and mainstream.
Should have been me, man. Should have been me.
pantagrapher, I had the exact same thought when I heard someone else had won.
"We're Still Waiting for Our Call ..."
I'm sure when the cut and paste awards come out Chicagoist will be among the top finishers if not the winner.
Then again, Seymour Hersh recently commented on the increased spread of his own work due, in part, to the cut and pasters of the world (wide web). Perhaps there is merit I'm too stubborn to see.
Oops.
Commented
Definitely deserved...
...but how does winning the grant help finish three books simultaneously? There's only so many hours in the day, man.
Dave!,
I don't know about Dybek and what his life is like, but for me personally, I'd be able to use the money to finish up three books simultaneously by being able to quit my job, hire a housekeeper/personal shopper, and maybe hire a chef. You know, buy the services that take up my time. Oh, if only...
This is great!
He is one of my favorite Chicago writers.
Stuart has enough stories to assemble a few books right now. There were several stories published in small journals back in the '70's. He was also working on a large novel back in the 80's. The novel took place in the Spanish speaking neighborhoods in Chicago. I am sure that there is a great deal of usable material from that project.
Speaking of great short story writers, check out "male of the species" by Alex Mindt. You'll love these stories!