Carl Hiaasen
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. 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, then a rural suburb of Fort Lauderdale. 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 in 1970, he entered Emory University, where he contributed satirical humor columns to the student-run newspaper "The Emory Wheel". In 1972, he transferred to the University of Florida, where he wrote for "The Independent Florida Alligator". Hiaasen graduated in 1974 with a degree  in journalism. Journalism. He was a reporter at "TODAY" (Cocoa, Florida) for two years before being hired in 1976 by the "Miami Herald", 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, an editor and columnist at "The Capital" newspaper in Annapolis, Maryland, who was killed in a  mass shooting at the newspaper's office on June 28, 2018. Carl Hiaasen's 1991 novel "Native Tongue" bears 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-warriors who kidnap the Orange Bowl Queen in Miami. The book's main character was whimsically memorialized by Jimmy Buffett in a song  called "The Ballad of Skip Wiley," which appeared on his "Barometer Soup" 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 and Burt Reynolds. Another book, "Bad Monkey," is being adapted for a series on Apple TV. It will star Vince Vaughn and is  being written and executive produced by Bill Lawrence, who co-created "Ted Lasso." Hiaasen's first venture into writing for younger readers was the 2002 novel "Hoot", which was named a Newbery Medal honor book. It was adapted as a 2006 film of the same name (starring Logan Lerman, Brie Larson and Luke Wilson). The movie was written and directed by Wil Shriner. Jimmy Buffett 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," "Scat"; "Chomp" 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 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," which is set in Florida and Montana, 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, who is well-known for her cartoons in the "New Yorker" magazine. During the 1990s Hiaasen co-wrote the lyrics of three songs  with his good friend and famed L.A. rocker, the late Warren Zevon. "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, fishing with famed guide Tim Klein. Works. Fiction. Adult fiction. With William Montalbano  34 books in total