Author Profile

Christopher Castellani

Christopher Castellani

Christopher Castellani is the author of three critically-acclaimed novels, A Kiss from Maddalena (Algonquin Books, 2003)—winner of the Massachusetts Book Award and a national selection of the Readers' Club of America — The Saint of Lost Things (Algonquin Books, 2005), a BookSense (IndieBound) Notable Book longlisted for the IMPAC Dublin Award; and All This Talk of Love (Algonquin, 2013), a New York Times Editors' Choice and finalist for the Ferro-Grumley Literary Award. He is also the author, most recently, of The Art of Perspective: Who Tells the Story, essays on the craft of fiction, the latest in Graywolf's prestigious "Art Of..." series. He is currently working on his fourth novel, Leading Men, for which he received a Guggenheim Fellowship, a MacDowell Colony Fellowship, and a Fellowship from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. 

Christopher was born in Wilmington, DE to Italian immigrants. He currently resides in Boston, where he is artistic director of Grub Street, one of the country's largest and leading independent writing centers. Christopher is the director of the Muse and the Marketplace Literary Conference, is on the faculty of the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference, and on the faculty and academic board of the Warren Wilson MFA program. He is the recipient of the Poets & Writers / Barnes & Noble "Writers for Writers" Award, which recognizes authors who have given generously to other writers and to the broader literary community. Christopher was educated at Swarthmore College, received his Masters in English Literature from Tufts University and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from Boston University. 

"Christopher Castellani proved to be a wonderful speaker - engaged, enlightening, and deeply moving. Whether reading from his brilliant work or giving a more personal and illuminating talk on craft and creativity, he pulled the audience in and kept them rapt."
-- Julianna Baggott, Novelist and Jenks Chair of Contemporary American Letters at The College of the Holy Cross

"Christopher Castellani received our Writers for Writers Award in 2014 and made remarks at our annual gala. Chris is a gracious, inspiring and eloquent speaker. He was able to connect in a very meaningful way with the audience."
-- Elliot Figman, Executive Director & Publisher, Poets & Writers

"Christopher Castellani, one of our invited guest authors and instructors at the biannual Geneva (Switzerland) Writers Conference, was not only a top notch instructor and speaker, but also a generous and encouraging presence."
-- Susan Tiberghien, Director, Geneva Writers’ Group

"I have had the opportunity to hear Christopher Castellani speak on many occasions, in small meetings and before large audiences. It is always a pleasure and often riveting. Chris conveys honesty, intelligence, humor, and insight in language that is simple and eloquent. He is a wonderful speaker."
-- Jeffrey Mayersohn, Owner, Harvard Bookstore



For more about Christopher and his works, go to http://www.chriscastellani.com

Videos featuring Christopher Castellani

Loft Mentor Series: Christopher Castellani





Colgate Writers' Conference: Christopher Castellani Evening Reading