Leslie Jamison

Date of Birth: June 21, 1983

Zodiac Sign: Cancer

Biography

Leslie Jamison is an acclaimed American novelist and essayist known for her deeply introspective and emotionally resonant works. Born in Washington, D.C., and raised in Los Angeles, California, Jamison has established herself as a significant voice in contemporary literature. She pursued her undergraduate education at Harvard University, where she earned a degree in English. Later, she completed her MFA in fiction at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and received a Ph.D. in English literature from Yale University. Jamison’s first novel, “The Gin Closet,” was published in 2010 to critical acclaim, but it was her essay collection, “The Empathy Exams,” published in 2014, that brought her widespread recognition. The collection, which explores themes of pain, empathy, and human connection, became a New York Times bestseller and won the Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize. Her other notable works include “The Recovering: Intoxication and Its Aftermath” and “Make It Scream, Make It Burn.” In addition to her writing, Jamison has taught at various institutions, including Columbia University, where she is currently an Assistant Professor in the School of the Arts. She continues to contribute essays and criticism to several prestigious publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times Book Review, and Harper’s Magazine.

5 Interesting Facts about Leslie Jamison

1. Leslie Jamison’s essay “The Empathy Exams” was originally published in The Believer magazine before becoming the title piece of her bestselling collection.

2. She has been open about her struggles with alcoholism, which she explores in depth in her book “The Recovering: Intoxication and Its Aftermath.”

3. Jamison’s mother, Sally Jamison, is also a writer, which influenced Leslie’s early interest in literature.

4. She has served as a mentor and advisor for emerging writers through various literary programs and workshops.

5. In addition to her literary pursuits, Jamison is an avid runner and has completed several marathons.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Leslie Jamison

1. “Empathy isn’t just something that happens to us—a meteor shower of synapses firing across the brain—it’s also a choice we make: to pay attention, to extend ourselves.”

2. “I wanted the moment of empathy to be a moment of curiosity and humility and not a moment of conquest and possession.”

3. “Addiction is always hiding in the places where we would never look for it, and in the places where we always do.”

4. “The impulse to escape our lives is at least as fundamental to our nature as the impulse to build them.”

5. “Pain is not a competition.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

As of the latest available information, Leslie Jamison’s highest net worth is estimated to be around $2 million, primarily accumulated through her successful writing career, teaching, and public speaking engagements.