Mary Oliver was born on September 10, 1935 to Edward and Helen Oliver. She was born and raised in Maple Heights, Ohio, a small suburb outside of Cleveland. She studied temporarily at The Ohio State University and at Vassar College, but she did not receive a college degree from either school. During this time, Mary was strongly influenced by the works of Edna St. Vincent Millay, poet, playwright, and feminist. For a time, Mary actually lived in Edna St. Vincent Millay's house with Millay's sister, Norma.
She has led an extremely private adult life, so it is rare to find any personal information about Mary during these years. One thing that is known for sure is that she and photographer, Molly Malone Cook, became lifelong partners. Almost all of Mary's books and poems are dedicated to Molly. They were together for forty years before Molly died of cancer in 2005. Most recently, Mary Oliver gave an interview to Maria Shriver, journalist, author, and women empowerment activist, for O Magazine in 2011, and that was one of the only times Mary has stepped into the limelight in her entire career. Mary currently resides in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Throughout her career, Mary has received countless awards and recognition for her phenomenal poetry. Some of these awards and acknowledgements include:
-1970, Poetry Society of America’s Shelley Memorial Award
-1972, National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
-1973, Alice Fay di Castagnola Award, Poetry Society of America
-1980–1981, Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship
-1983, American Academy and Institute of Arts & Letters Achievement Award
-1984, Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for American Primitive
-1991, Christopher Award for House of Light
-1991, L.L. Winship/PEN New England Award for House of Light
-1992, National Book Award for New and Selected Poems
-1998, Lannan Literary Award
-1999, New England Booksellers Association Award for Literary Excellence
-2012, Honorary Degree from Marquette University
She has led an extremely private adult life, so it is rare to find any personal information about Mary during these years. One thing that is known for sure is that she and photographer, Molly Malone Cook, became lifelong partners. Almost all of Mary's books and poems are dedicated to Molly. They were together for forty years before Molly died of cancer in 2005. Most recently, Mary Oliver gave an interview to Maria Shriver, journalist, author, and women empowerment activist, for O Magazine in 2011, and that was one of the only times Mary has stepped into the limelight in her entire career. Mary currently resides in Provincetown, Massachusetts.
Throughout her career, Mary has received countless awards and recognition for her phenomenal poetry. Some of these awards and acknowledgements include:
-1970, Poetry Society of America’s Shelley Memorial Award
-1972, National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship
-1973, Alice Fay di Castagnola Award, Poetry Society of America
-1980–1981, Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship
-1983, American Academy and Institute of Arts & Letters Achievement Award
-1984, Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for American Primitive
-1991, Christopher Award for House of Light
-1991, L.L. Winship/PEN New England Award for House of Light
-1992, National Book Award for New and Selected Poems
-1998, Lannan Literary Award
-1999, New England Booksellers Association Award for Literary Excellence
-2012, Honorary Degree from Marquette University