Thomas Christensen

Thomas Christensen's forthcoming "1616: The World in Motion" is a global journey through one year in the early seventeenth century. Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction Finalist Lawrence Weschler has called it "a brimmingly generous intellectual feast, lavishly curated." Pulitzer Prize for Poetry Winner Gary Snyder has called it "A brilliant creative examination and interpretation" of the early modern world.

Christensen's previous books, several in collaboration with Carol Christensen, include "The U.S-Mexican War," a companion book to a national PBS television series; "The Discovery of America and Other Myths," a collection of writings about the encounter between native Americans and the first European arrivals to the hemisphere; "New World / New Words: Recent Writing from the Americas, A Bilingual Anthology"; and "Bridge to Understanding: The Art and Architecture of San Francisco's Asian Art Museum." He has also written critical essays and introductions to such books as "Sylvie and Bruno" by Lewis Carroll, "The Getting of Wisdom" by Henry Handel Richardson, and "Hieroglyphic Tales" by Horace Walpole.

Another of his forthcoming books is "Selected Poems of José Angel Valente," a translation of poems by the esteemed twentieth-century Spanish poet. Previous translations (several with Carol Christensen) include works by Carlos Fuentes, Alejo Carpentier, Julio Cortázar, and others. "Like Water for Chocolate" by Laura Esquivel was a best seller. "Ballets Without Music, Without Dancers, Without Anything" by Louis-Ferdinand Céline was a finalist for the PEN America West translation award. He received a special award for dedication to translation from the American Literary Translators Association.

Christensen is also known as a publisher, editor, and graphic designer. Under his direction the independent trade publishing company Mercury House was nominated for a Carey-Thomas Award for excellence in publishing. He has served as a panelist for the National Endowment for the Arts, reviewing both translation and creative writing grant applications. He lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Author photo by Ellen Christensen.