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Themes: Man vs. Nature, Pride, Skill, Strength, and Poverty

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Birthday: March 12, 1953

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Age: 65

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Columnist Carl Hiaasen from The Miami Herald newspaper in South Florida.

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How Carl Gets His Inspiration: He has a Warm-Up Ritual, He doesn’t multitask, and he goes to a place of affection

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Inspiration: Joined Miami Herand as a general assistant reporter and had a weekly column

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Grew up: South Florida

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Won: Newberry Honor Award, Book Sense Book of the Year Honnor Award, Green Earth Book Award, NAPPA Gold Award

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Books: Squirm, Chomp, Scat, Flush, Hoot, Skink - No Surrender

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Carl Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida, where he still lives.

A graduate of the University of Florida, at age 23 he joined The Miami Herald as a general assignment reporter and went on to work for the newspaper's weekly magazine and prize-winning investigations team. Since 1985 Hiaasen has been writing a regular column, which at one time or another has pissed off just about everybody in South Florida, including his own bosses.

Today his column appears on most Sundays in The Herald's opinion-and-editorial section, and may be viewed online at www.herald.com.

Hiaasen began writing novels in early 1980s with his good friend and fellow journalist, William D. Montalbano. Together they wrote three mystery thrillers - Powder Burn, Trap Line and Death in China - which borrowed heavily from their reporting experiences.

Tourist Season, published in 1986, was Hiaasen's first solo novel. GQ magazine called it "one of the 10 best destination reads of all time," though it failed to frighten a single tourist away from Florida. His next effort, Double Whammy, was the first (and possibly only) novel ever written about sex, murder and corruption on the professional bass-fishing tour.

Since then, Hiaasen has published Skin Tight, Native Tongue and nine national bestsellers - Strip Tease, Stormy Weather, Lucky You, Sick Puppy, Basket Case, Skinny Dip, Nature Girl, Star Island and Bad Monkey. All the novels are set in Florida, for obvious reasons.

Hiaasen is also the author of several popular novels for young readers: Hoot, which won a Newbery Honor, Flush, Scat and, most recently, Skink - No Surrender, which introduces one of the wildest characters in his adult books to a teen audience.

The film version of Hoot came out in 2006. It was directed by Wil Shriner, and produced by Jimmy Buffett and Frank Marshall. Buffett plays a teacher in the movie, while the author himself makes a forgettable cameo.

Hiaasen has also written two nonfiction books. The first, Team Rodent, is a wry but unsparing rant against the Disney empire and its grip on American culture. In 2008 came The Downhill Lie, which chronicles Hiaasen's ill-advised return to the sport of golf after a "much-needed" 32-year hiatus.

Together, his books have been published in 34 languages, which is 33 more than he can read or write. The London Observer has called him "America's finest satirical novelist," while Janet Maslin of the New York Times has compared him to Preston Sturges, Woody Allen and S.J. Perelman.
Full biography

Squeeze Me, captures the Trump era with Carl's inimitable savage humor and wonderful, eccentric characters. A surefire best seller.

It will be available in September. Pre-order Squeeze Me now.

Carl delivers a wildly entertaining novel involving snakes, grizzlies, a missing dad, a menacing drone, and more! Buy Squirm.

Read Carl's tribute to his brother Rob Hiaasen and the others who died in the mass shooting at the Annapolis Capital Gazette.

I am devastated and heartsick to confirm the loss of my wonderful brother Rob today in the mass shooting in the newsroom at the Annapolis Capital Gazette. Rob was an editor and columnist at the paper, and one of the most gentle and funny people I've ever known. He spent his whole gifted career as a journalist, and he believed profoundly in the craft and mission of serving the public's right to know the news.

We called him Big Rob because he was so tall, but it was his remarkable heart and humor that made him larger than all of us.

Please keep our family in your thoughts and prayers tonight.

Hug your loved ones like there's no tomorrow.

- Carl Hiaasen

Razor Girl, Carl's new full-tilt, razor-sharp, unstoppably hilarious and entertaining novel, is now available in paperback.

When Lane Coolman's car is bashed from behind on the road to the Florida Keys, what appears to be an ordinary accident is anything but. Behind the wheel of the other car is Merry Mansfield--the eponymous Razor Girl - and the crash scam is only the beginning of events that spiral crazily out of control while unleashing some of the wildest characters Hiaasen has ever set loose on the page.

Video: Carl discusses Razor Girl.

Free Excerpt from Razor Girl.

Buy Razor Girl.

Now available in paperback: Skink - No Surrender, Carl's first book for teens, spent five weeks on the New York Times Best Sellers List.

It was recently selected for the 2015 edition of Best Children's Books of the Year, by the Bank Street College Center for Children's Literature.

Buy Skink - No Surrender. | Read an excerpt. | Watch the trailer.

Carl's new book of advice for young people - Assume the Worst: The Graduation Speech You'll Never Hear - is now available.

This is Oh, the Places You'll Never Go - the ultimate hilarious, cynical, but absolutely realistic view of a college graduate's future. And what he or she can or can't do about it.

Nine weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. Now available as a trade paperback.

With Bad Monkey, Carl Hiaasen is back doing what he does best: spinning a wickedly funny, fiercely pointed tale in which the greedy, the corrupt, and the degraders of pristine land get their comeuppance.

Buy Bad Monkey. | Read an excerpt. | Watch the trailer.

Read CrimeReads' guide to Carl's classics, including an exclusive excerpt from Carl's next book Squeeze Me.

The BBC's Stephen Sackur interviewed Carl about Florida.

CrimeReads features Carl's 10 greatest novel openings.

Carl was interviewed on NPR's "All Things Considered" about gun violence and his brother's death.

Check out David Geherin's new book Carl Hiaasen: Sunshine State Satirist.

Barnes & Noble named Squirm one of their Best Books of 2018.

Squirm opened at #2 on the National Indie Bestseller List for middle-grade readers for Sept. 30, and it will be #4 on The New York Tmes Bestseller List for middle-grade books the week of Oct. 14.

Hear Carl speak about Squirm on the Mike Lupica podcast.

Apprentice House published Float Plan, a novel by Carl's brother, Rob Hiaasen, who was senselessly killed in The Capital Gazette shooting.

The book can be purchased here. All proceeds benefit Everytown for Gun Safety.

See Carl's appearance on CBS Sunday Morning to discuss Assume the Worst.

Carl DJ'd an episode of "Paperback Writers" on BBC's Radio 6.

Watch A look back at 2017 with Dave Barry and Carl Hiaasen. From WPLG in Miami.

Banned in Texas

Carl's novel Double Whammy is now forbidden in Texas prisons. Read details in The New York Times.

Carl's reaction: "I'm flattered."

Razor Girl opened at number 2 on the New York Times Bestseller List, and scored excellent reviews in The New York Times and on NPR.

Carl discusses humor as a tool to fight injustice on Talking Volumes.

For the latest news about Carl, sign up for Knopf Doubleday's Carl Hiaasen Newsletter.

Hear Carl discussing Disney in Studio 360's show about Disney Theme Parks.

Read Carl's new interview in Forbes.

Read Carl's interview in Florida Trend.
(1 MB PDF download).

Listen to Carl's Skink interview on NPR's Here & Now.

Watch Carl's latest video interview about Skink - No Surrender.

Read them here, free: the first 3 chapters of Skink - No Surrender.

Check out Random House's Skink - No Surrender site.

Read Carl's columns in the Miami Herald.

Watch Carl in conversation with Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid's Tale and Oryx and Crake.

Read a solid feature about Carl from Garden and Gun magazine.

Watch Carl Hiaasen profiled on 60 Minutes.

Hoot - The Movie
Three middle schoolers take on greedy land developers, corrupt politicians, and clueless cops in this mystery adventure based on Carl Hiaasen's Newbery Honor-winning book.
Rent it now!

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Carl Hiaasen was born and raised in Florida, where he still lives. A graduate of the University of Florida, at age 23 he joined The Miami Herald as a general assignment reporter and went on to work for the newspaper's weekly magazine and prize-winning investigations team.

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Carl Hiaasen