American writer, poet, and musician
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Key moments and achievements from James Sallis's life.
James was born
· Phoenix, Arizona, U.S.
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In 1992, Sallis published The Long-Legged Fly, introducing Lew Griffin, a Black private investigator in New Orleans. The series grew into six novels and helped cement Sallis as a distinctive voice in modern noir fiction with his compressed, jazz-inflected style.
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In 1992, Sallis published The Long-Legged Fly, introducing Lew Griffin, a Black private investigator in New Orleans. The series grew into six novels and helped cement Sallis as a distinctive voice in modern noir fiction with his compressed, jazz-inflected style.
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Across his career, Sallis wrote science fiction, poetry, essays, criticism, and translations in addition to his crime fiction. His genre-crossing body of work demonstrated remarkable versatility and a literary sensibility that distinguished him from conventional mystery writers.
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Across his career, Sallis wrote science fiction, poetry, essays, criticism, and translations in addition to his crime fiction. His genre-crossing body of work demonstrated remarkable versatility and a literary sensibility that distinguished him from conventional mystery writers.
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In 2005, Sallis published Drive, a lean neo-noir novel about a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver. The book became his most famous work and would later be adapted into a critically acclaimed film.
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In 2005, Sallis published Drive, a lean neo-noir novel about a Hollywood stunt driver who moonlights as a getaway driver. The book became his most famous work and would later be adapted into a critically acclaimed film.
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Sallis taught creative writing at Phoenix College for fourteen years and at workshops for the Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University. His teaching career influenced a generation of aspiring writers in the Phoenix literary community.
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Sallis taught creative writing at Phoenix College for fourteen years and at workshops for the Piper Center for Creative Writing at Arizona State University. His teaching career influenced a generation of aspiring writers in the Phoenix literary community.
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In 2011, Drive was adapted into a major motion picture directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling. The film received the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival and brought Salliss work to a global audience far beyond the crime fiction community.
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In 2011, Drive was adapted into a major motion picture directed by Nicolas Winding Refn and starring Ryan Gosling. The film received the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival and brought Salliss work to a global audience far beyond the crime fiction community.
James Sallis passed away
