Information About

Lois-ann Yamanaka




Among her principal works are:
  • ''Saturday Night at the Pahala Theatre'', a book of poems written in Hawaiian Pidgin ( 1993 )

  • ''Wild Meat and the Bully Burgers'' ( 1996 )

  • ''Blu's Hanging'' ( 1997 )

  • ''Heads by Harry'' ( 1998 )

  • ''Name Me Nobody'' ( 2000 )

  • ''Father of the Four Passages'' ( 2001 )

  • ''The Heart's Language'' ( 2005 )

  • ''Behold the Many'' ( 2006 )


In 1993 , ''Saturday Night at the Pahala Theatre'' received the Pushcart Prize for poetry. Later, in 1994 , the Association For Asian American Studies awarded the collection its fiction award.

In 1998 , her novel ''Blu's Hanging'' was also awarded a fiction award by the Association of Asian American Studies. However, amid similar accusations that the book's portrayal of one of the characters perpetuated stereotypes about Filipino men, the board rescinded the award. This action sparked controversy among the Asian American literary community (with noted Asian American authors Amy Tan and Maxine Hong Kingston supporting Yamanaka).

In 2004 , a short film, ''Silent Years'', based on Yamanaka's screenplay was released. It is a story about a thirteen-year-old girl caught between an abusive uncle and a seventeen-year-old boyfriend, who expects a gift for his high school graduation.http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2004/Oct/19/il/il01a.html

The April 2007 issue of '' Honolulu Magazine '' has an excerpt from Yamanaka's upcoming novel, with the working title, ''The Mother Mary Stories'' {Link without Title} .

FAMILY

Yamanaka is the oldest of four daughters who grew up in Pahala on the Big Island Of Hawaiʻi . Her mother was a schoolteacher and father a school-administrator-turned-taxidermist. She is married to John Inferrera. They have a son, John, Jr.


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