At the heart of 'amazing and cool'

 

“Teens want to read something thatisn't a lie; we adults wish we could put our heads under the blankets and hidefrom the scary story we're writing for our kids.” –Paolo Bacigalupi

 

Born in the small Western Coloradotown of Paonia (population less than 1,500) on this date in 1972, Bacigalupigrew up on a farm, studied writing and Chinese, traveled the globe, and startedhis career writing stories – both journalistic and creative – about Far Easterncultures and countries.   Today, he is best known for hisscience fiction and fantasy writing for Young Adults. 

 

Winner of most of the major Sci-Fiprizes, including Hugo, Nebula and Michael L. Printz Awards, he also has beennominated for a National Book Award and is a regular contributor to magazines,journals and newspapers.   

 

Fact-based, journalistic stylepermeates his work, especially in his award-winning collection Pump Sixand Other Stories, and in his much-celebrated novel TheWindup Girl, set in 23rd Century Thailand.  A great“What If?” tale, the book made almost every “Best Novel” and “Best Sci-Fi”list.    His most recent book is 2024’s Navola,, called “historicalfantasy with echoes of Renaissance Italy, The Godfather and Game ofThrones” by reviewers.

 

Bacigalupi said he’s glad youngpeople are drawn to his works. “As a writer, you should care about reluctantreaders,” he said.  “You want kids to feel like books are amazing andcool and that they're an escape.”