Mr. Norman earned a master's degree from the Folklore Institute at Indiana University in 1974. A professor of creative writing in the University of Maryland's master of fine arts program since 1987, he is one of America's most versatile writers.
He has garnered a host of major national literary honors, including a Whiting Award and Lannan and Guggenheim fellowships. His work has been translated into 15 languages, and his first three novels, "The Northern Lights," "The Bird Artist" and "The Museum Guard," were finalists for the National Book Award.