Benedict Wells (born Benedict von Schirach, 29 February 1984) is a German-Swiss novelist.Benedict Wells jetzt auch Schweizer in: Focus 7 July 2016.
Life and career Wells grew up in Bavaria. At the age of six, he was sent to a state boarding school after his parents separated and had to deal with several problems. All of his school years were spent at boarding schools and homes. Following his graduation from high school in 2003, he decided not to go to university but instead moved to Berlin to pursue his writing. He made a living doing odd jobs, while his manuscripts were rejected by publishers and agencies for years.
His first novel Becks letzter Sommer (Beck's Last Summer) was published in 2008 and received widespread acclaim.Becks letzter Sommer, Perlentaucher It was described by Die Zeit as "the most interesting debut of the year" and was made into a film in 2015, starring Christian Ulmen. In the meantime, his third novel Fast genial (Almost Ingenious) had become a first bigger success in Germany.
Wells released his fourth novel Vom Ende der Einsamkeit (The End of Loneliness), a family drama, in February 2016. He had worked seven years on it.100 gute Bücher - Benedict Wells: "Vom Ende der Einsamkeit" in: Deutsche Welle 9 October 2018. It remained on the German bestseller list for more than 80 weeks and awarded the 2016 European Union Prize for Literature.Benedict Wells unter den Gewinnern in: Börsenblatt des Deutschen Buchhandels 5 April 2016. Retrieved 7 April 2016. An English translation by Charlotte Collins was published in 2018. As of 2023, it is the only book by Wells to be translated into English.
His fifth novel Hard Land was published in February 2021 and became an instant number 1 bestseller in Germany.Benedict Wells’ neuer Roman ist Spitzenreiter des SPIEGEL-Rankings in: Buchreport 4 March 2021 It takes place in 1985 in a fictional small town in Missouri. The novel won the Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis and is also described as an hommage to classic American 80s movies like The Breakfast Club and Stand by Me (film).Eine amerikanische Jugend im Sound der 80er in: Deutschlandfunk Kultur 14 April 2021
Wells' books have been translated into 38 languages and have sold more than one million copies worldwide.Benedict Wells erhält die "Goldene Eule" in: Buchmarkt from October 14th 2020. He previously did not allow his books to be published as ebooks. Since 2018 his books are initially available as hardcover books and audiobooks, then only later as ebooks when the paperback edition is published. This system is intended to support bookshops.
Family He was born Benedict von Schirach and is a member of the Sorbian Schirach noble family. He is the brother of the philosopher and writer Ariadne von Schirach, a cousin of the author Ferdinand von Schirach,Interview mit Ariadne von Schirach: Spross einer bekannten Familie, Stuttgarter Zeitung, 2 May 2014 the son of the sinologist Richard von Schirach and a grandson of the Nazi youth leader and war criminal Baldur von Schirach. Wells legally changed his surname at the age of 19, because he wanted to distance himself from what his German grandfather had done and this part of his family's history, which he condemns."A personal matter" Text by Benedict Wells on his Homepage about the reasons for his name change His family background did not become publicly known until after the success of his third novel. The name Wells was inspired by the character Homer Wells in John Irving's novel The Cider House Rules.
Wells holds both German and Swiss citizenship. His mother was Swiss.
Awards and honors 2008: Bayerischer Kunstförderpreis for Becks letzter SommerKunstförderpreis für Benedict Wells in: Buchreport 27, October 2009. 2016: European Union Prize for Literature for Vom Ende der Einsamkeit 2016: Book prize of the "Stiftung Ravensburger Verlag" for Vom Ende der Einsamkeit 2016: Favourite book of the independent book shops for Vom Ende der Einsamkeit 2018: Euregio Literature Prize for Vom Ende der EinsamkeitEuregio-Schüler-Literaturpreis für Wells in Grenzecho.net 20 April 2018. 2021: Favourite book of the Swiss-German book shops for Hard Land„Hard Land“ von Benedict Wells ist das Lieblingsbuch des Deutschschweizer Buchhandels 2021 in Buchmarkt 22 April 2021. 2022: Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis for Hard Land"Die Grenzen sind nicht da" in Süddeutsche.de 21 Oktober 2022.
Books Becks letzter Sommer. Diogenes, Zürich 2008, . Spinner. Diogenes, Zürich 2009, . Fast genial. Diogenes, Zürich 2011, . Vom Ende der Einsamkeit. Diogenes Verlag, Zürich 2016, . Die Wahrheit über das Lügen: Zehn Geschichten. Diogenes Verlag, Zürich 2018, . Hard Land. Roman. Diogenes, Zürich 2021, ISBN 978-3-257-07148-1.
References
External links
The Guardian Podcast from April 17, 2018. Benedict Wells in Conversation with John Irving from February 7, 2019.