2001 in literature
See also: 2000 in literature, other events of 2001, 2002 in literature, list of years in literature.
Events
- The film version of J. R. R. Tolkien's classic book, The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, hits movie theaters. The film is directed by Peter Jackson
- February 15 - Author Michael Crichton signed a new two book deal with HarperCollins Publishers reportedly earning $40 million for the two books.
- July 20 - London, England: After being found guilty of two counts of perjury and two of perverting the course of justice, a shackled Lord Jeffrey Archer is taken to Belmarsh jail in a van, seated next to a convicted knife murderer.
New Books
- The Amazing Maurice and his Educated Rodents - Terry Pratchett
- The Ash Garden - Dennis Bock
- Back When We Were Grownups - Anne Tyler
- Baudolino - Umberto Eco
- The Bonesetter's Daughter - Amy Tan
- The Cold Six Thousand - James Ellroy
- The Constant Gardener - John le Carré
- The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen
- Crypto: How the Code Rebels Beat the Government Saving Privacy in the Digital Age - Steven Levy
- Death in Holy Orders - P.D. James
- Dolce Agonia - Nancy Huston
- Empire Falls - Richard Russo
- Fatal Voyage - Kathy Reichs
- The Fiery Cross - Diana Gabaldon
- Five Quarters of the Orange - Joanne Harris
- The Fourth Hand - John Irving
- Fury - Salman Rushdie
- Giving Something Back - Robert N. Kucey
- Greenhouse: The 200-Year Story of Global Warming - Gale E. Christianson
- The Idea of Perfection - Kate Grenville Picador
- The Last Hero - Terry Pratchett
- Leap Of Faith - Danielle Steel
- Life of Pi - Yann Martel
- Man Ray's Montparnasse - Herbert R. Lottman
- Marie Antoinette: The Journey - Antonia Fraser
- Nickel and Dimed - Barbara Ehrenreich
- A Painted House - John Grisham
- Rouge Brésil - Jean-Christophe Rufin
- Seabiscuit: An American Legend - Laura Hillenbrand
- Skipping Christmas - John Grisham
- The Stone Carvers - Jane Urquhart
- Thief of Time - Terry Pratchett
- Thinks - David Lodge
- The White Castle - Orhan Pamuk
Births
Deaths
- January 31 - Gordon R. Dickson, science fiction writer
- February 7 - Anne Morrow Lindbergh, author, aviator
- March 12 - Robert Ludlum, author
- June 1 - Hank Ketcham, 81, cartoonist, creator of Dennis the Menace
- July 3 - Mordecai Richler
- August 1 - Poul Anderson - fantasy / sci-fi author
- August 6 - Jorge Amado, 88, Brazilian writer
- August 20 - Fred Hoyle, Astronomer and science fiction writer
- November 10 - Ken Kesey, 66, author.
Awards
- Booker Prize: Peter Carey, True History of the Kelly Gang
- Finlandia Prize: Hannu Raittila Canal Grande
- Giller Prize for Canadian Fiction: Richard B. Wright - Clara Callan
- See 2001 Governor General's Awards for a complete list of winners and finalists for those awards.
- IMPAC Award: Alistair MacLeod, No Great Mischief
- Newbery Medal for children's literature: Richard Peck, A Year Down Yonder
- Nobel Prize for Literature: V.S. Naipaul
- Orange Prize for Fiction: Kate Grenville Picador, The Idea of Perfection
- Prix Décembre: Chloé Delaume, Le Cri du sablier
- Prix Fémina: Marie Ndiaye, Rosie Carpe
- Prix Goncourt: Jean-Christophe Rufin, Rouge Brésil
- Prix Médicis French: Edwy Plenel, Secrets de jeunesse
- Prix Médicis Non-Fiction: Le Loup mongol
- Prix Médicis International: Antonio Skarmeta, La noce du poète
- Pulitzer Prize for Drama: David Auburn, Proof
- Pulitzer Prize for Fiction: Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
- Pulitzer Prize for Poetry: Stephen Dunn, Different Hours
- Samuel Johnson Prize: Michael Burleigh, The Third Reich
- Viareggio Prize: Nicolò Ammaniti, Io non ho paura, Michele Ranchetti, Verbale, and Giorgio Pestelli, Canti del destino