Louis Bayard

Louis Bayard
Bayard at the 2022 Texas Book Festival
Born (1963-11-30) November 30, 1963 (age 61)
Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.
Education
Princeton University, B.A.

Northwestern University, M.A.

Occupations
  • Journalist
  • novelist
SpouseDon Montuori (c. 1988–present)
Children2
Websitelouisbayard.com
Notes

Louis Bayard (born November 30, 1963) is an American author. His historical mysteries include The Pale Blue Eye, Mr. Timothy, The Black Tower, The School of Night, and Roosevelt's Beast,[4] and they have been translated into 11 languages.[5][non-primary source needed]

His novel The Pale Blue Eye was adapted into a film of the same name, and released in January 2023.[6]

Biography

Bayard was born on November 30, 1963, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and grew up in Northern Virginia. He graduated from Princeton University and received a master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. He lives in Washington, D.C., and teaches fiction writing at George Washington University.[1][2][7]

He was a staffer at the U.S. House of Representatives, working for Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.) and as press secretary for then Representative Phil Sharp (D-Indiana).

Career

Bayard's first two novels, Fool's Errand (1999) and Endangered Species (2001), were romantic comedies with modern settings.[8][9] His third novel, Mr. Timothy, published by HarperCollins, was a Victorian thriller featuring a grown-up Tiny Tim from Dickens' A Christmas Carol.[10] Bayard's novel was a New York Times Notable book and was chosen one of the 10 best books of the year by People magazine.[11][12][13] His 2006 novel The Pale Blue Eye is a murder mystery set at West Point in 1830, where the young Edgar Allan Poe was a cadet. The book was nominated for an Edgar (2007) and a Dagger. It was optioned for a film adaptation by writer-director Scott Cooper.[14][15][16][17][18] Bayard's fifth novel, The Black Tower (Morrow), set in Paris in 1818, follows the real-life detective Eugène François Vidocq as he investigates the mystery surrounding Marie Antoinette's son.[19][20][21] His novel The School of Night (2010) shuttles between modern-day Washington, D.C., and Elizabethan England, where a group of scholars including Walter Ralegh, Christopher Marlowe, and the scientist Thomas Harriot explore dangerous questions.[22][23] Roosevelt's Beast was published on March 18, 2014.[24] It tells of an action adventure involving Theodore Roosevelt and his son, Kermit, through Brazil's Da Dúvida River circa 1914.[25]

Bayard has also written book reviews and essays for The Washington Post, The New York Times, Salon and Nerve. He has appeared at the National Book Festival, and he has written the New York Times recaps for Downton Abbey[26] and Wolf Hall.[27][28][29][30][31] He was the keynote speaker for 1455 StoryFest (2022).

Novels

  • Fool's Errand (1st ed.). Los Angeles: Alyson Books. 1999. ISBN 1-55583-494-9. LCCN 98055139.
  • Endangered Species: A Novel (1st ed.). Los Angeles: Alyson Books. 2001. ISBN 1-55583-641-0. LCCN 2001022614.
  • Mr. Timothy: A Novel (1st ed.). New York: HarperCollins. 2003. ISBN 0-06-053421-4. LCCN 2003042327.
  • The Pale Blue Eye: A Novel (1st ed.). New York: HarperCollins. 2006. ISBN 0-06-073397-7. LCCN 2005044741.
  • The Black Tower (1st ed.). New York: William Morrow. 2008. ISBN 978-0-06-117350-9. LCCN 2008005059.
  • The School of Night: A Novel (1st ed.). New York: Henry Holt and Co. 2010. ISBN 978-0-8050-9069-7. LCCN 2010024961.
  • Roosevelt's Beast: A Novel (First ed.). New York: Henry Holt and Co. 2014. ISBN 978-0-8050-9070-3. LCCN 2013028721.
  • Lucky Strikes (1st ed.). New York City: Henry Holt and Co. 2016. ISBN 978-1-62779-390-2.
  • Courting Mr. Lincoln (1st ed.). New York City: Henry Holt and Co. 2019. ISBN 978-1-61620-847-9.
  • Jackie & Me (1st ed.). New York City: Algonquin Books. 2022. ISBN 978-1-64375-035-4.

References

  1. ^ a b "Louis Bayard". Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit: Gale. 2012. Gale Document Number: GALE H1000172882. Retrieved March 3, 2014. Biography in Context.
  2. ^ a b "Louis Bayard's novel explores gay life in D.C. The Capitol Hill veteran avoids the political". Princeton Alumni Weekly Class Notes. Princeton University. October 25, 2000. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  3. ^ "Author Louis Bayard – contact". Archived from the original on October 25, 2014. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
  4. ^ "Storytellers | Louis Bayard |". The Monti. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  5. ^ "Author Louis Bayard" (Author website). Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  6. ^ Fleming, Mike (December 10, 2022). "Scott Cooper Talks Building A Whodunit With Father Of The Murder Mystery Edgar Allan Poe In 'The Pale Blue Eye' – Contenders LA3C". Deadline.
  7. ^ "Web Exclusive: Books Received 2003-04". Princeton Alumni Weekly. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  8. ^ "Product Reviews: Fool's Errand: A Novel: Amazon.com". Amazon. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  9. ^ Bayard, Louis (2001). Endangered Species: A Novel: Louis Bayard: 9781555836412: Amazon.com: Books. Alyson Books. ISBN 1-55583-641-0.
  10. ^ "Like the Dickens". Washington Blade. December 5, 2003. Archived from the original on December 20, 2003.
  11. ^ "Notable Books". The New York Times. December 7, 2003. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  12. ^ "HarperCollins Publishing".
  13. ^ "Picks and Pans Main: Books". People. Vol. 60, no. 26. December 29, 2003. p. 45. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
  14. ^ "'The Pale Blue Eye' To Be Adapted – GalleyCat". Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  15. ^ Sneider, Jeff (January 21, 2011). "Exclusive: 'Crazy Heart's' Scott Cooper to Direct 'The Pale Blue Eye'". The Wrap. The Wrap News, Inc. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  16. ^ "Edgar Award database". Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  17. ^ "CWA Ellis Peters Historical Crime Award 2006 goes to Edward Wright". The Crime Writers' Association. July 20, 2013. Archived from the original on May 31, 2012. Retrieved July 15, 2012.
  18. ^ "Mystery Writers of America Announces 2007 Edgar Award Nominees". PRNewswire. January 19, 2007. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  19. ^ Minzesheimer, Bob; Moore, Dennis; Donahue, Deirdre (November 5, 2008). "Book roundup: Historical fiction from vastly different times and places". USA Today r.
  20. ^ The Black Tower: Louis Bayard: Amazon.com: Books. William Morrow. September 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2014 – via Amazon.
  21. ^ "The Black Tower: A Novel by Louis Bayard". HarperCollins. Archived from the original on January 25, 2013. Retrieved March 11, 2014. From Louis Bayard, the acclaimed author of Mr. Timothy and The Pale Blue Eye, comes The Black Tower, a stunning and pitch-perfect novel featuring the real-life criminal who transformed himself into the world's first and greatest detective. In The Black Tower, Bayard deftly interweaves political intrigue, epic treachery, cover-ups, and conspiracies into a gripping portrait of family redemption—and brings to life an indelible portrait of the mighty and profane Eugène François Vidocq, history's legendary investigator.
  22. ^ "The School of Night | Louis Bayard | Macmillan". Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  23. ^ "Louis Bayard | Authors | Macmillan". Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  24. ^ "Roosevelt's Beast | Louis Bayard | Macmillan". Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  25. ^ Schlichenmeyer, Terri (March 7, 2014). "Paths through pages". Washington Blade. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  26. ^ "Downton Abbey recaps". The New York Times.
  27. ^ "Wolf Hall recaps". The New York Times.
  28. ^ "National Book Festival Appearance". Library of Congress.
  29. ^ "Salon Louis Bayard page".
  30. ^ Bayard, Louis (July 2, 2012). "Book World: Chris Cleave's 'Gold'". Washington Post Book Review. Retrieved March 3, 2014.
  31. ^ Bayard, Louis; Bordo, Susan. "Vanity Fare". Nerve.