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Edgerton was born May 20, 1944 in Durham,
North
Carolina, and then lived in a small community, Bethesda, on
the outskirts of the city. Growing up in a rural area,
Edgerton had a happy childhood. His outgoing personality and
keen sense of humor contributed to his popularity in the
community. "Drama during this period," Edgerton recalled,
"came from baseball, hunting, and playing Robin Hood with my
friends in the woods." He was particularly proficient in
baseball. For nine summers, including his freshman year in
college, Edgerton played on some type of baseball team.
Edgerton’s earned a BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel
Hill with a major in English. He enjoyed reading Emerson, Thoreau and
Twain. But, it wasn’t until his sophomore year in college, after reading
Hemingway’s
Farewell To Arms , that he decided to be an English
teacher. He wanted to share his love for such literature with others.
During his
undergraduate years, Edgerton was a student in the Air Force ROTC
program, where he learned to fly a small plane. Upon graduation in 1966,
he received a commission and entered the U. S. Air Force. For the next 5
years he served on active duty as a fighter pilot based in the United
States, Korea, Japan, and Thailand.
After his
return from the Air Force, Edgerton went on to earn a master’s degree
from UNC Chapel Hill
before starting a teaching career. With this degree he accepted a
faculty position as an English teacher in his old high school. He also
earned a Ph.D. from the University.
His
decision to be a serious writer was a very deliberate one, but somewhat
of a surprise even to him. In May 1978, he watched
Eudora Welty
read one of her stories on public television. That night
led to the creation of seven novels thus far --
Raney,
Walking
Across Egypt,
The
Floatplane Notebooks,
Killer Diller, In Memory of Junior,
Redeye, and
Where Trouble Sleeps.
Their critical reception led to his receiving a Guggenheim Fellowship, a
Lyndhurst Fellowship, and the North Carolina Award for Literature, a
Distinguished Alumni Award from University of North Carolina-Chapel
Hill, Education Department, and five notable book awards from the New
York Times.
Edgerton is
married and has two children. He lives in
North
Carolina.
Read our review of
Clyde Edgerton's
Lunch at the Picadilly! |
SLR Recommends
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