Andre Dubus Biography

Andre Dubus was an American short story writer and novelist, hailed as one of the best American short story writers of the 20th century. Primarily remembered for his short stories in 'Dancing After Hours’ and other collections, he was much admired for the great sensitivity with which he portrayed violence in his literary works. Many of his stories were narrated from a female’s perspective, and the triumph of love over loneliness was a recurring motif in his works. Dubus loved writing from a young age and was educated by the Christian Brothers, a Catholic religious order, where his love for literature was encouraged. He decided to pursue a career in writing and studied English and journalism in college. After a six-year stint with the Marine Corps, he again turned his attention towards writing and gained a reputation as a remarkable writer of short stories. In 1986, he became the victim of a tragic car accident which left him wheel-chair bound for the rest of his life. Shocked, he fell into a depression, but over a period of time he recovered well enough to write again. He experienced a creative rebirth following the accident and went on to establish himself as one of the most prominent short story writers in 20th century America