Taylor Turner

Brandon Taylor is an American writer born in 1989, recognized for his critically lauded novels and short story collections. He holds advanced degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Iowa, where he was an Iowa Arts Fellow. Taylor's work often delves into themes of loneliness, desire, identity, and the complexities of human relationships, frequently centering on characters from marginalized backgrounds.

His debut novel, "Real Life" (2020), garnered significant attention and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize. The collection "Filthy Animals" (2022) earned him The Story Prize. Taylor's writing has appeared in numerous prestigious publications, and he has also contributed as an editor and reviewer for literary outlets. His background, including a religious upbringing and family challenges, informs his nuanced perspectives on social dynamics and personal struggle.

Born in Alabama in 1989, Brandon Taylor's early life was shaped by a conservative religious environment and a family with limited literacy. This background necessitated him learning to read by necessity, using his brother's textbooks and drawing from a diverse range of reading materials including romance novels, medical manuals, and the Bible. He pursued undergraduate studies at Auburn University at Montgomery before transitioning to a career in creative writing, earning graduate degrees from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Iowa. His literary influences are broad, citing authors such as Mavis Gallant, Jane Austen, Alice Munro, and Louise Glück, suggesting a deep engagement with both narrative craft and thematic exploration.

Taylor's published works, including the novel "Real Life" and the story collection "Filthy Animals," are noted for their incisive examination of desire, loneliness, and the search for meaning. Critics have described his prose as a "controlled roar of rage and pain," underpinned by intellectual rigor. His narratives often explore the internal lives of characters navigating complex social landscapes, particularly within academic or confined settings, and grappling with their identities, especially as queer Black individuals. Taylor himself expresses a hope that his work challenges readers to consider interpersonal dynamics, the ways individuals cause harm, and the ways they are harmed.

Brandon Taylor's debut novel, "Real Life" (2020), achieved significant critical acclaim, earning a spot on The New York Times' "100 Notable Books of 2020" list and being shortlisted for the Booker Prize. His short story collection, "Filthy Animals" (2022), was honored with The Story Prize, celebrated for its warmth and humanity. Taylor's subsequent novel, "The Late Americans" (2023), further solidified his reputation. His upcoming works include "Minor Black Figures" (2025), and non-fiction projects focusing on literary criticism and the craft of writing.

“I was like, I'm going to sit down and knock this out so I can get on with my life.... Writing a novel ruins your life in really specific ways. Because you have to live inside of it. It's just this sustained exercise in being miserable.”

“His voice might best be described as a controlled roar of rage and pain, its energy held together by the careful thinking of a mind accustomed to good behavior.”

“It is a curious novel to describe, for much of the plot involves excavating the profound from the mundane. As in the modernist novels of Woolf and Tolstoy cited in passing throughout, the true action of Taylor's novel exists beneath the surface, buried in subterranean spaces.”

“Taylor's book isn't about overcoming trauma or the perils of academia or even just the experience of inhabiting a black body in a white space, even as Real Life does cover these subjects. Taylor is also tackling loneliness, desire and — more than anything — finding purpose, meaning and happiness in one's own life... How fortunate we are for Real Life, another stunning contribution from a community long deserving of the chance to tell its stories.”

“I hope that it's a novel that challenges people to think about the ways that we fit together in our relationships with one another. I hope it makes people think really deeply about both the ways that they are harmed, and that they do harm to others.”