Frederick Busch (August 1, 1941 – February 23, 2006) was an American writer who authored nearly thirty books, including volumes of short stories and novels.

Early life and education

Frederick Busch was born in Brooklyn, New York City on August 1, 1941. He graduated from Muhlenberg College in 1962, and earned a master's degree from Columbia University in 1967. Busch and his wife lived briefly in Greenwich Village, where they scraped by until Busch got a job teaching at Colgate University in 1966.

Career

Academia

Busch was professor of literature at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York, from 1966 to 2003. He also served as acting director of the University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 1978–79.

Writing

Busch had more than 30 books published in his lifetime. He won numerous awards, including the Harry and Ethel Daroff Award in 1985 for Invisible Mending; the American Academy of Arts and Letters Fiction Award in 1986; and the PEN/Malamud Award in 1991.

Personal life

Busch met his future wife, Judith Burroughs, in Allentown, Pennsylvania while attending Muhlenberg College in 1962. They married in 1963. Busch and his wife had two sons, Benjamin and Nicholas. Benjamin Busch is an acclaimed actor. In 1995, Nicholas Busch graduated from Muhlenberg College.

Death

On February 23, 2006, Busch died of a heart attack in Manhattan, New York City, aged 64.

Honours and awards

Novels

Short story collections

Non-fiction