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Patricia Highsmith

Patricia Highsmith was an American novelist known for her psychological crime thrillers. Her debut novel Strangers on a Train (1950) brought her international recognition, especially after its film adaptation by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951. Highsmith's most famous character is Tom Ripley, an immoral, charming anti-hero who first appeared in The Talented Mr Ripley (1955). This novel won her the Grand Prix de Littérature Policière in 1957.

Patricia Highsmith was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and moved to New York with her family in 1927. After graduating from Barnard College in 1942, Highsmith began writing short stories, including "The Heroine," which won the O. Henry Award in 1946.

Her character, Tom Ripley, reappears in four sequels: Ripley Under Ground (1970), Ripley's Game (1974), The Boy Who Followed Ripley (1980), and Ripley Under Water (1991). Highsmith's skill in creating morally ambiguous characters made her stand out in crime fiction. The Talented Mr Ripley was made into many films, including the 1999 version with Matt Damon, which was very successful.

Highsmith wrote about identity, morality and fear of existence. Kafka and Dostoevsky influenced her writing. Another notable work was The Price of Salt (1952), a groundbreaking lesbian novel later reissued as Carol in 1990. Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara starred in the 2015 film Carol, based on the book. It was nominated for six Academy Awards.

In addition to her Ripley series and The Price of Salt, Highsmith wrote over 20 novels and numerous short stories. Her novel Deep Water, published in 1957, was acclaimed for its depiction of psychosis in suburban America and was filmed in 1981 and 2022. Highsmith's psychological insight and exploration of troubled characters made her one of the most unique voices in crime fiction.

Although she was more popular in Europe, especially France than in her native United States, Highsmith's legacy as a master of suspense fiction remains influential.
years of life: 19 January 1921 4 February 1995

Quotes

Nast Huertahas quoted8 months ago
It was like looking back at another person to remember himself then, a skinny, snivelling wretch with an eternal cold in the nose, who had still managed to win a medal for courtesy, service, and reliability.
Nast Huertahas quoted8 months ago
And it was astounding and pitiful how naive he had been, how little he had known about the way the world worked, as if he had spent so much of his time hating Aunt Dottie and scheming how to escape her, that he had not had enough time to learn and grow.
Nast Huertahas quoted8 months ago
Tom cursed himself for having been so heavy-handed and so humourless today. Nothing he took desperately seriously ever worked out. He'd found that out years ago.
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