Anita Hale Shreve (October 7, 1946 – March 29, 2018) was an American writer, chiefly known for her novels. One of her first published stories, Past the Island, Drifting (published 1975), was awarded an O. Henry Prize in 1976.

Early years and education

Born in Boston, the eldest of three daughters, Shreve grew up in Dedham, Massachusetts. She was a member of the Dedham High School class of 1964. was an airline pilot for Delta Air Lines and later a trompe l'oeil painter, while her mother, Bibiana Kennedy, was a homemaker.

Shreve graduated from Tufts University

In 2000, her novel The Weight of Water was made into a movie of the same title, directed by Kathryn Bigelow and starring Sean Penn, Sarah Polley, and Elizabeth Hurley. Two years later, her novel Resistance became a film of the same name and starred Bill Paxton and Julia Ormond. That same year, CBS released The Pilot's Wife as a movie of the week starring Christine Lahti and John Heard.

Death and legacy

Anita Shreve died on March 29, 2018, aged 71, at her home at Newfields, New Hampshire, from cancer. Her widower, John Osborn, donated a collection of her books to Dedham High School. The books were given at a special ceremony attended by Osborn and several of her classmates.

  • The Last Time They Met (2001)
  • Sea Glass (2002)
  • All He Ever Wanted (2003)
  • Light on Snow (2004)
  • A Wedding in December (2005)
  • Body Surfing (2007)
  • Testimony (2008)
  • A Change in Altitude (2009)
  • Rescue (2010)
  • Stella Bain (2013)
  • The Stars Are Fire (2017)

Nonfiction

  • Remaking Motherhood: How Working Mothers are Shaping Our Children's Future (1987)
  • Women Together, Women Alone: The Legacy of the Consciousness-Raising Movement (1989)

References

  • Anita Shreve website