Carl Hiaasen (; born March 12, 1953) is an American journalist and novelist. He began his career as a newspaper reporter and by the late 1970s had begun writing novels in his spare time, both for adults and for young-adult readers. Two of his novels have been made into feature films. Hiaasen's adult novels are humorous crime thrillers set in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

. They feature casts of eccentric, sometimes grotesque characters and satirize aspects of American popular culture. Many of the novels include themes related to environmentalism and political corruption in his native state.

Early life and education

Hiaasen was born in 1953 and raised in

Plantation, Florida Plantation is a city in Broward County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 91,750. It is a principal city of the Miami metropolitan area. The city's name comes from the previous part-owner of the land, the Eve ...

, then a rural suburb of

Fort Lauderdale A fortification is a military construction or building designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is also used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from Latin ''fortis'' ("strong") and ''facere'' ...

. He was the first of four children born to Odel and Patricia Hiaasen. He has Norwegian and Irish ancestry. He started writing at age six when his father bought him a typewriter for Christmas. After graduating from

Plantation High School Plantation High School (commonly referred to as PHS) is a high school located in Plantation, Florida, part of the Broward County Public Schools district. As of 2022, the school serves 1,931 students in grades 9 through 12. It was originally loca ...

in 1970, he entered

Emory University Emory University is a private research university in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded in 1836 as "Emory College" by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory, Emory is the second-oldest private institution of ...

, where he contributed satirical humor columns to the student-run newspaper ''

The Emory Wheel ''The Emory Wheel'' is the independent, student-run newspaper at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The ''Wheel'' is published once a week on Wednesday during the regular school year, and is updated daily on its website. The sections of the '' ...

''. In 1972, he transferred to the

University of Florida The University of Florida (Florida or UF) is a public land-grant research university in Gainesville, Florida. It is a senior member of the State University System of Florida, traces its origins to 1853, and has operated continuously on its ...

, where he wrote for ''

The Independent Florida Alligator ''The Independent Florida Alligator'' is the daily student newspaper of the University of Florida. ''The Alligator'' is one of the largest student-run newspapers in the United States, with a daily circulation of 35,000 and readership of more tha ...

''. Hiaasen graduated in 1974 with a degree in

journalism Journalism is the production and distribution of reports on the interaction of events, facts, ideas, and people that are the "news of the day" and that informs society to at least some degree. The word, a noun, applies to the occupation (profes ...

Journalism

Hiaasen was a reporter at ''TODAY'' (

Cocoa Cocoa may refer to: Chocolate * Chocolate * ''Theobroma cacao'', the cocoa tree * Cocoa bean, seed of ''Theobroma cacao'' * Chocolate liquor, or cocoa liquor, pure, liquid chocolate extracted from the cocoa bean, including both cocoa butter and ...

, Florida) for two years before being hired in 1976 by the ''

Miami Herald The ''Miami Herald'' is an American daily newspaper owned by the McClatchy Company and headquartered in Doral, Florida, a List of communities in Miami-Dade County, Florida, city in western Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County and the M ...

'', where he worked for the city desk, Sunday magazine and award-winning investigative team. Hiaasen was a columnist for the newspaper from mid-1985 until he retired in March 2021. His columns have been collected in three published volumes, '' Kick Ass'' (1999''), Paradise Screwed'' (2001) and ''Dance of the Reptiles'' (2014), all edited by Diane Stevenson. His only brother was

Rob Hiaasen Rob Hiaasen (February 9, 1959 – June 28, 2018) was an American journalist and assistant editor at ''The Capital'', a newspaper published in Annapolis, Maryland. He also taught at the University of Maryland's Philip Merrill College of Journalis ...

, an editor and columnist at ''

The Capital ''The Capital'' (also known as ''Capital Gazette'' as its online nameplate and informally), the Sunday edition is called ''The Sunday Capital'', is a daily newspaper published by Capital Gazette Communications in Annapolis, Maryland, to serve ...

'' newspaper in

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

, who was killed in the

mass shooting There is a lack of consensus on how to define a mass shooting. Most terms define a minimum of three or four victims of gun violence (not including the shooter or in an inner city) in a short period of time, although an Australian study from 20 ...

at the newspaper's office on June 28, 2018. Carl Hiaasen's 1991 novel '' Native Tongue'' carries the dedication "For my brother Rob."

Novelist

After becoming a reporter, Hiaasen began writing novels in his spare time. The first three were co-authored with his friend and fellow journalist William Montalbano: ''Powder Burn'' (1981), ''Trap Line'' (1982), and ''A Death in China'' (1984). His first solo novel, '' Tourist Season'' (1986), featured a group of ragged

eco-warrior The term eco-warrior is a self-description for an environmental activist that adopts a "hands-on" effort to save a plot of land. In the UK it coined the term in the 1990s, a label that many people actively taking ecological direct action resiste ...

s who kidnap the

Orange Bowl The Orange Bowl is an annual American college football bowl game played in the Miami metropolitan area. It has been played annually since January 1, 1935, making it, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Sun Bowl, the second-oldest bowl game ...

Queen in Miami. The book's main character was whimsically memorialized by

Jimmy Buffett James William Buffett (born December 25, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, author, and businessman. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffet ...

in a song called "The Ballad of Skip Wiley," which appeared on his ''

Barometer Soup ''Barometer Soup'' is the nineteenth studio album by American popular music singer-songwriter Jimmy Buffett. The album was released on MCA and Margaritaville Records on August 1, 1995. History and reception Following the release of '' Fruitc ...

'' album. In all, twenty of Hiaasen's novels and nonfiction books have been on the New York Times Best Seller lists. His work has been translated into 34 languages. In 2016, his novel '' Razor Girl,'' was short-listed for the Bollinger Everyman Wodehouse award for comic fiction in England. An earlier Hiaasen novel, ''Strip Tease,'' was adapted into a 1996 feature film starring

Demi Moore Demi Gene Moore ( ; née Guynes; born November 11, 1962) is an American actress. After making her film debut in 1981, Moore appeared on the soap opera '' General Hospital'' (1982–1984) and subsequently gained recognition as a member of the Br ...

and

Burt Reynolds Burton Leon Reynolds Jr. (February 11, 1936 – September 6, 2018) was an American actor, considered a sex symbol and icon of 1970s American popular culture. Reynolds first rose to prominence when he starred in television series such as ' ...

. Another book, '' Bad Monkey,'' is being adapted for a series on

Apple TV An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

. It will star

Vince Vaughn Vincent Anthony Vaughn (born March 28, 1970) is an American actor. Vaughn began acting in the late 1980s, appearing in minor television roles before attaining wider recognition with the 1996 comedy-drama film '' Swingers''. He has appeared in ...

and is being written and executive produced by Bill Lawrence, who co-created

Ted Lasso ''Ted Lasso'' is an American sports comedy-drama television series developed by Jason Sudeikis, Bill Lawrence, Brendan Hunt, and Joe Kelly. It is based on a character of the same name that Sudeikis first portrayed in a series of promos for NB ...

. The series is tentatively scheduled to begin airing in the spring of 2023. Hiaasen's first venture into writing for younger readers was the 2002 novel ''

Hoot Hoot may refer to: Publications * ''Hoot'' (novel), a young adult novel by Carl Hiaasen * ''Hoot'', a 1996 children's novel by Jane Hissey * ''Hoot'' (comics), a British magazine published from 1985 to 1986 * ''The Brandeis Hoot'', a student n ...

'', which was named a

Newbery Medal The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...

honor book. It was

adapted In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the po ...

as a 2006 film of the same name (starring

Logan Lerman Logan Wade Lerman (born January 19, 1992) is an American actor. He is known for playing the titular role in the fantasy-adventure ''Percy Jackson'' films. He appeared in commercials in the mid-1990s, before starring in the series ''Jack & Bobb ...

Brie Larson Brianne Sidonie Desaulniers (born October 1, 1989), known professionally as Brie Larson, is an American actress. Known for her supporting roles in comedies as a teenager, she has since expanded to leading roles in independent films and blockb ...

and Luke Wilson). The movie was written and directed by

Wil Shriner Wil Herbert Shriner (born December 6, 1953) is an American actor, comedian, film director, screenwriter and game show host. Life and career Shriner was born in New York City, New York, the twin brother of soap opera actor Kin Shriner, and the ...

provided songs for the soundtrack, and appeared in the role of Mr. Ryan, a middle school teacher. Hiaasen's subsequent children's novels were ''

Flush Flush may refer to: Places * Flush, Kansas, a community in the United States Architecture, construction and manufacturing * Flush cut, a type of cut made with a French flush-cut saw or diagonal pliers * Flush deck, in naval architecture * Fl ...

,'' '' Scat''; ''

Chomp Chomp is a two-player strategy game played on a rectangular grid made up of smaller square cells, which can be thought of as the blocks of a chocolate bar. The players take it in turns to choose one block and "eat it" (remove from the board), tog ...

'' and, '' Skink-- No Surrender,'' which introduces one of his most popular adult characters to teen readers. In 2014, ''Skink'' was long-listed for a

National Book Award The National Book Awards are a set of annual U.S. literary awards. At the final National Book Awards Ceremony every November, the National Book Foundation presents the National Book Awards and two lifetime achievement awards to authors. The Nat ...

in Young People's Literature. All of Hiaasen's books for young readers feature environmental themes, eccentric casts and adventure-filled plots. His latest, ''

Squirm ''Squirm'' is a 1976 American natural horror film written and directed by Jeff Lieberman, starring Don Scardino, Patricia Pearcy, R. A. Dow, Jean Sullivan, Peter MacLean, Fran Higgins and William Newman. The film takes place in the fictiona ...

,'' which is set in Florida and

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

, was published in the fall of 2018 and opened at #4 on the New York Times bestseller list for middle-grade novels. His latest adult book, '' Squeeze Me,'' was published on August 25, 2020, and debuted at #2 on the New York Times Combined Print and E-Book Print Best Sellers List. The novel takes place during the glitzy Palm Beach social season, and features wild pythons and a fictional, well-fed U.S. president who has a vacation mansion on the island. Amazon and the Washington ''Post'' listed ''Squeeze Me as'' one of the best novels of 2020. Hiaasen's most recent nonfiction work is ''Assume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You'll Never Hear'', which was published in April 2018 and illustrated by

Roz Chast Rosalind Chast (born November 26, 1954) is an American cartoonist and a staff cartoonist for ''The New Yorker''. Since 1978, she has published more than 800 cartoons in ''The New Yorker''. She also publishes cartoons in ''Scientific American'' and ...

, who is well-known for her cartoons in ''

The New Yorker ''The New Yorker'' is an American weekly magazine featuring journalism, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons, and poetry. Founded as a weekly in 1925, the magazine is published 47 times annually, with five of these issues ...

''. During the 1990s Hiaasen co-wrote the lyrics of three songs with his good friend and famed L.A. rocker, the late

Warren Zevon Warren William Zevon (; January 24, 1947 – September 7, 2003) was an American rock singer, songwriter, and musician. Zevon's most famous compositions include "Werewolves of London", " Lawyers, Guns and Money", and " Roland the Headless Th ...

. "Rottweiler Blues" and "Seminole Bingo" appeared on Zevon's '' Mutineer'' album in 1995. The third song they wrote together, "Basket Case," was done in conjunction with Hiaasen's novel of the same name, and appeared in 2001 on Zevon's album '' My Ride's Here.'' In addition to being a prolific writer, Hiaasen is also a talented fly fisherman. His fishing career includes six wins of the prestigious Invitational Fall Fly Bonefish Tournament in

Islamorada Islamorada (also sometimes Islas Morada) is an incorporated village in Monroe County, Florida. It is located directly between Miami and Key West on five islands— Tea Table Key, Lower Matecumbe Key, Upper Matecumbe Key, Windley Key and Plant ...

, fishing with famed guide Tim Klein.

Works

Fiction

Adult fiction

*'' Tourist Season'' (1986) * '' Double Whammy'' (1987) * '' Skin Tight'' (1989) * '' Native Tongue'' (1991) * ''

Strip Tease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper" or an "exot ...

'' (1993) (filmed in 1996 as ''

Striptease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper" or an "ex ...

'' by

Andrew Bergman Andrew Bergman (born February 20, 1945) is an American screenwriter, film director, and novelist. His best-known films include '' Blazing Saddles'', '' The In-Laws'', '' The Freshman'' and '' Striptease''. Early life Born to a Jewish family, Be ...

, starring

and

) * '' Stormy Weather'' (1995) * ''

Naked Came the Manatee ''Naked Came the Manatee'' () is a mystery thriller parody novel published in 1996. It is composed of thirteen chapters, each written by a different Miami-area writer. It was originally published as a serial in the ''Miami Herald's'' ''Tropic'' m ...

'' (1996) (A Mystery Thriller Parody with 12 other authors) * '' Lucky You'' (1997) * ''

Sick Puppy ''Sick Puppy'' is a 2000 novel by Carl Hiaasen. Plot summary Robert Clapley, a former drug smuggler-turned-real estate developer, plans to build high-rise condominiums and golf courses on Toad Island, the home to a large population of oak toads. ...

'' (2000) * '' Basket Case'' (2002) * ''

Skinny Dip Nude swimming is the practice of swimming without clothing, whether in natural bodies of water or in swimming pools. A colloquial term for nude swimming is '' skinny-dipping''. In both British and American English, to swim means "to move throu ...

'' (2004) * '' Nature Girl'' (2006) * '' Star Island'' (2010) * '' Bad Monkey'' (2013) * '' Razor Girl'' (2016) * '' Squeeze Me'' (2020) With William Montalbano * ''Powder Burn'' (1981) * ''Trap Line'' (1982) * ''A Death in China'' (1984)

Fiction for young readers

* ''

'' (2002) (released as a

movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

in May 2006 by director

) * ''

'' (2005) * '' Scat'' (2009) * ''

'' (2012) * '' Skink - No Surrender'' (2014) (young adult novel featuring a recurring hero from his adult fiction series) *''Squirm'' (2018)

Short stories

* "Tart of Darkness" (2003, ''

Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue The ''Sports Illustrated'' Swimsuit Issue is published annually by American magazine ''Sports Illustrated'' and features female fashion models, celebrities and athletes wearing swimwear in various locales around the world. The highly coveted co ...

'') * The Edible Exile (2013)

Non-fiction

* '' Team Rodent: How Disney Devours the World'' (1998) * '' Kick Ass'': Selected Columns (1999) * ''Paradise Screwed: Selected Columns'' (2001) * ''The Downhill Lie'' (2008) * ''Dance of the Reptiles: Selected Columns'' (2014) * ''Assume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You'll Never Hear (2018)''

Collections

* ''A Carl Hiaasen'' (2000) (an audiobook set containing '' Tourist Season'', '' Stormy Weather'', and ''

'') 34 books in total

Awards and achievements

;Journalist * 1980: National Headliners Award from Sigma Delta Chi. * 1980: Heywood Broun Award from Newspaper Guild. * 2004 : Damon Runyon Award from the Denver Press Club. * 2010 : Ernie Pyle Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. ;Writer * 2003 :

Newbery Honor Newbery is a surname. People *Chantelle Newbery (born 1977), Australian Olympic diver *David Newbery (born 1943), British economist *Eduardo Newbery (1878–1908), Argentine odontologist and aerostat pilot *Francis Newbery (disambiguation), seve ...

from the

Association for Library Service to Children The Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC) is a division of the American Library Association, and it is the world's largest organization dedicated to library service to children. Its members are concerned with creating a better future ...

, for ''Hoot''. * 2005 : Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award, for ''Hoot''. * 2005 : Dagger Awards Nominee - Best Novel, for ''Skinny Dip''. * 2009 : Sélection prix Nouvel Obs et BibliObs du roman noir, for ''Croco-deal'' (''Nature Girl''). * 2011 : Prix du Livre Environnement de la Fondation Veolia Environnement - Mention jeunesse, for ''Panthère'' (''Scat''). * 2011 : Prix Enfantaisie du meilleur roman, for ''Panthère'' (''Scat''). * 2012 : Prix Barnes & Noble du meilleur roman jeunesse, for ''Chomp''. * 2013 : Prix Science en toutes lettres from The Académie de Rouen, for ''Panthère'' (''Scat''). * 2014 : National Book Award Longlist Selection - Young People's Literature, for ''Skink : No Surrender''. * 2017 : Marjorie Harris Carr Award for Environmental Advocacy from the Florida Defenders of the Environment

References

External links

*
Hiaasen's columns in ''The Miami Herald''
* *
Roger Nichols of Modern Signed Books interviews Carl Hiaasen about his latest novel, Razor Girl
*
Hiaasen interviewed about his book 'Assume the Worst'
* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hiaasen, Carl 1953 births 20th-century American male writers 21st-century American male writers 20th-century American non-fiction writers 21st-century American non-fiction writers 20th-century American novelists 21st-century American novelists American children's writers American crime fiction writers American columnists American humorists Emory University alumni Environmental fiction writers Miami Herald people Living people University of Florida alumni Absurdist fiction Agatha Award winners Dilys Award winners Newbery Honor winners People from Plantation, Florida Writers from Miami American people of Irish descent American people of Norwegian descent American male novelists Novelists from Florida American male non-fiction writers Plantation High School alumni People from Vero Beach, Florida