Marilyn Krysl

Marilyn Krysl (February 26, 1942 – July 4, 2024) was an American writer of short stories and poetry who is known for her quirky and witty storytelling. She has published four short story collections along with seven collections of poetry. She has won several awards for her work, including the 2008 Richard Sullivan Prize for short fiction for her collection of short stories, Dinner With Osama, which is a sociopolitical satire of post-9/11 America. Krysl also submitted work to The Atlantic journal, The Nation journal, and The New Republic journal, as well as being an editor of Many Mountains Moving: A Literary Journal of Diverse, Contemporary Voices along with Naomi Horii.

Biography Marilyn Krysl was born on February 26, 1942. As a senior in high school, she won the 1960 Oregon Award for Creativity. She entered the University of Oregon on a full tuition scholarship, courtesy of the award, in 1961. As an undergraduate she won the Alicia Woods Poetry Award, Julia Burgess Poetry Award, Peter Pauper Press Essay Prize, and the Ernest Haycox Short Story Prize.

She graduated in 1964, completed her MFA at University of Oregon in 1968, and in 1972 accepted a faculty position in the Dept. of English at University of Colorado, Boulder. She later served in the Department as Director of Creative Writing.

At the invitation of Naomi Horii, Horii and Krysl co-edited and launched the literary journal Many Mountains Moving.

Awards and recognition 1960 Oregon Award for Creativity, University of Oregon full tuition scholarship 1961 Alicia Woods Poetry Award, University of Oregon 1961 Julia Burgess Poetry Award, University of Oregon 1961 Peter Pauper Press Essay Prize 1964 Ernest Haycox Short Story Prize, University of Oregon 1971 Harlan Ellison Speculative Fiction Fellowship, Writers Conference, University of Colorado 1974 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship 1977–1978 Faculty Fellowship, University of Colorado 1979 Utah State Arts Council Traveling Poetry Exhibition 1980 Finalist, San Francisco State Poetry Center Book Prize 1981 John O’Hara Journal Fiction Prize for Mozart, Westmoreland and Me 1981 Oasis Prize, Poetry Society of Georgia, for “The Unicorn.” 1984 Kansas Quarterly Poetry Prize, for “The Beautiful Alive Alone Illusion” 1985 YADDO Fellowship 1986 Arts and Humanities Book Award, University of Colorado 1986–1987 Artist in Residence and Artist's Commission, Center for Human Caring, Health Sciences Center, University of Colorado 1989 Performing Arts Grant, Boulder Arts Commission 1989 President's Fund for the Humanities Grant, University of Colorado 1990 Mountains and Plains Booksellers’ Assoc. Award for Poetry for What We Have To Live With 1991–1992 Faculty Fellowship, University of Colorado 1993 Negative Capability Award for Fiction 1995 Spoon River Poetry Review Poetry Prize 1996 Cleveland State Poetry Center Book Prize and publication 1997 American Council of Learned Societies Contemplative Fellowship in conjunction with Marcia Westkott of Women Studies 2000–2001 National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship 2001 Lawrence Foundation Prize for Fiction, from Prairie Schooner 2002 Essay Prize, from Prairie Schooner 2003 Geraldine McLoud Commendation for Fiction, from Nimrod 2005 YADDO fellowship 2007 Notre Dame's Richard Sullivan Prize for Dinner with Osama 2008 ForeWord Magazine's Short Story Book of the Year Bronze Award for Dinner With Osama 2023 Karen Chamberlain Lifetime Achievement Award for Poetry in Colorado