Jack Gantos
Jack Gantos
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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John Irving Gantos is commonly known as Jack Gantos.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on August 18, 1951, in Boston, Massachusetts. He is still alive.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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American author of children's and young adult literature.
Early Life and Background
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Jack Gantos grew up in a working-class family in Cambridge, Massachusetts. His father was a dockworker at the time, but he later became a truck driver. Gantos' parents valued education and encouraged him to read widely from an early age. He developed a love for writing while attending elementary school.
Major Accomplishments
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Gantos is best known for his novels that often blend elements of mystery, adventure, and coming-of-age themes. Some of his notable works include:
"Rundown" (1997) - This novel tells the story of a young boy who gets caught up in a crime syndicate.
"Dead End in Norvelt" (2011) - Set in Pennsylvania, this novel explores themes of small-town life and the struggles faced by its residents.
Gantos has received numerous awards for his writing. In 2013, he won the Newbery Medal for "Dead End in Norvelt".
Notable Works or Actions
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Autobiographical elements: Many of Gantos' novels draw from his own experiences growing up in a working-class family.
Experimentation with form: Gantos has experimented with non-traditional narrative structures, pushing the boundaries of children's literature.
Impact and Legacy
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Gantos' work has had a significant impact on readers worldwide. His stories often tackle complex social issues, making them relatable and accessible to young audiences. As an author, he has helped pave the way for more diverse voices in children's literature.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Jack Gantos is widely quoted and remembered for his thought-provoking novels that explore themes of identity, community, and the complexities of growing up. His writing often sparks conversations about social issues and has inspired a new generation of readers to engage with literature.
This biography aims to provide a comprehensive overview of Jack Gantos' life and work, shedding light on what makes him such an influential figure in children's literature today.
Quotes by Jack Gantos
I do know that there is no reason for me to drown myself from sorrow since I haven't yet tried to achieve anything great.
Sometimes waiting for a question to finish is like watching someone draw an elephant starting with the tail first. As soon as you see the tail your mind wanders all over the place and you think of a million other animals that also have tails until you don’t care about the elephant because it’s only one thing when you’ve been thinking about a million others.
I know I’m not perfect, but I didn’t think it was fair that they told me one thing and wrote down another.
When Patti Fox broke up with me, I typed her name over a thousand times on my manual Olivetti until the entire page was beaten into a stiff sheet of black ink.
Of course I still love my grandma even after all the awful stuff she did to me, which is scary that you can love someone who is not nice. I guess that is what getting better will do to a person: make you forgive people who have been mean to you.
I want you to take a sleeve of Thin Mints and line them up on the edge of the kitchen counter and when I’m hungry I can just bend over and sweep a cookie into my mouth like I’m scoring a goal in hockey.
Miss Volker,” I said about as politely as I knew how, “do you think you will outlast the rest of these original people?” “I have to,” she said. “I made a promise to Eleanor Roosevelt to see them to their graves, and I can’t drop dead on the job – so let’s get going.
I was always a liar. But one thing I failed to realize about being a liar is that you know when you are deceiving someone else, but when you deceive yourself you believe you are telling the truth.
It’s like when you read a book and you know that the words are important, but the images blossoming in your imagination are even more important because it’s your mind that allows the words to come to life.
Each time I read a book, I cataloged the parts that struck me dumb with envy and admiration for their beauty and power and truth.