Jean Thompson

Jean Thompson is a novelist and short story writer, whose most recent novel is A Cloud in the Shape of a Girl (Simon & Schuster). Her other works include the novels She Poured Out Her Heart, The Humanity Project, The Year We Left Home, City Boy, and  Wide Blue Yonder, and the short story collections The Witch and Other Tales Re-Told, Do Not Deny Me, Throw Like a Girl, and Who Do You Love, which was a 1999 National Book Award finalist.

Thompson's short fiction has been published in many magazines and journals, including The New Yorker, and been anthologized in The Best American Short Stories and Pushcart Prize. Jean's work has been praised by Elle Magazine as "bracing and wildly intelligent writing that explores the nature of love in all its hidden and manifest dimensions." Jean's other books include the short story collections The Gasoline Warsand Little Face, and the novels My Wisdomand The Woman Driver. Jean has been the recipient of Guggenheim and National Endowment for the Arts fellowships, among other accolades, and taught creative writing at the University of Illinois–Champaign/ Urbana, Reed College, Northwestern University, and many other colleges and universities. She lives in Urbana, Illinois.