R. V. O'Neill

Joseph O'Neill is an Irish novelist and non-fiction writer born in Cork in 1964. His diverse upbringing included time in Mozambique, Turkey, and Iran before he settled in the Netherlands from age six. He studied law at Cambridge, initially preferring it to English literature as a way to keep his passion for writing as a hobby. After a brief period as a poet, he transitioned to law, practicing business law in London before moving to New York City in 1998.

O'Neill is the author of five novels, with his 2008 work "Netherland" achieving significant recognition. It won the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award, and was lauded by critics and even mentioned by President Barack Obama. His other novels include "The Dog" and "Godwin," the latter of which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. He has also published a collection of short stories, "Good Trouble," and a non-fiction family history, "Blood-Dark Track." O'Neill also contributes political and cultural essays to publications like the New York Review of Books and The Atlantic.

Joseph O'Neill is an acclaimed novelist whose work has garnered significant literary awards and critical attention. His novel "Netherland" (2008) was a major success, earning the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction and the Kerry Group Irish Fiction Award. The book was also a New York Times Best Book of the Year and received praise from figures like James Wood and President Barack Obama. O'Neill's subsequent novels, "The Dog" (2014) and "Godwin" (2024), have also been recognized, with "Godwin" being a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award. Beyond novels, his short story collection "Good Trouble" (2018) features stories previously published in The New Yorker and Harper's, with some receiving O. Henry prizes. His non-fiction work, "Blood-Dark Track: A Family History" (2001), was also a New York Times Notable Book.

O'Neill's formative years were marked by extensive travel and multicultural exposure. Born in Ireland to a half-Irish, half-Turkish heritage, he lived in Mozambique and Turkey during his early childhood before spending his school years in the Netherlands. This international upbringing, coupled with his legal education at Cambridge and subsequent legal career, has informed his writing. He has noted that his extensive movement and diverse living experiences contribute to a sense of not belonging to any single place. O'Neill is multilingual, speaking English, French, and Dutch. His personal life also reflects his background, as he is an active cricket player, mirroring a protagonist in his novel "Netherland," and currently resides in Brooklyn with his partner, writer Rivka Galchen.

“literature was too precious”