History of Alice Sebold in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: July 1, 2024

Alice Sebold is a celebrated American author recognized for her impactful novels, including "The Lovely Bones" and "The Almost Moon," as well as her memoir, "Lucky." Notably, "The Lovely Bones" achieved significant success, securing a place on The New York Times Best Seller list and inspiring a film adaptation in 2009.

September 6, 1963: Alice Sebold's Birth

Alice Sebold was born on September 6, 1963.

1980: Graduation from High School

Alice Sebold graduated from Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pennsylvania in 1980.

May 8, 1981: Sexual Assault

On May 8, 1981, Alice Sebold was assaulted and raped while a freshman at Syracuse University.

1984: Graduation from Syracuse University and Move to Manhattan

After graduating from Syracuse University in 1984, Sebold briefly attended graduate school at the University of Houston before moving to Manhattan to pursue writing.

1996: Beginning Writing about Trauma

Around 1996, Sebold started writing a novel about the rape and murder of a young girl but struggled to complete it.

1997: Realization of the Need to Confront Trauma

By 1997, Sebold realized she needed to write about her own experience with sexual assault before finishing her novel.

1998: Move to California and MFA Completion

Alice Sebold moved to Southern California and worked as a caretaker at an artists' colony. In 1998, she earned an MFA from the University of California, Irvine.

1999: Publication of "Lucky"

Alice Sebold's memoir, "Lucky," detailing her sexual assault and its aftermath, was published in 1999.

1999: Release of Anthony Broadwater

Anthony Broadwater, who was wrongly convicted of raping Alice Sebold, was released from prison in 1999 after serving 16 years.

2000: MacDowell Fellowship

Alice Sebold was awarded a MacDowell Fellowship in 2000.

2001: Marriage to Glen David Gold

Alice Sebold married novelist Glen David Gold in 2001.

2002: Bram Stoker Award and Heartland Prize

"The Lovely Bones" won the Bram Stoker Award for First Novel and the Heartland Prize in 2002.

2002: Publication of "The Lovely Bones"

Alice Sebold's novel, "The Lovely Bones," exploring themes of violence and its impact, was published in 2002.

2002: Publication of "The Lovely Bones" and Renewed Interest in "Lucky"

With the success of her novel "The Lovely Bones" in 2002, Sebold's memoir "Lucky" gained significant attention and sales.

2003: American Booksellers Association's Book of the Year Award

In 2003, Sebold's "The Lovely Bones" received the American Booksellers Association's Book of the Year Award for Adult Fiction.

2005: MacDowell Fellowship

Alice Sebold received a MacDowell Fellowship in 2005.

2007: Commercial Success of "The Lovely Bones"

By 2007, "The Lovely Bones" had achieved international recognition, selling over ten million copies worldwide.

2009: Guest Editing "The Best American Short Stories"

Alice Sebold guest-edited the 2009 edition of "The Best American Short Stories."

2009: MacDowell Fellowship

Alice Sebold was granted a MacDowell Fellowship in 2009.

2009: Film Adaptation of "The Lovely Bones"

Alice Sebold's novel, "The Lovely Bones," was adapted into a film in 2009.

2010: Film Adaptation of "The Lovely Bones"

"The Lovely Bones" was adapted into a film directed by Peter Jackson in 2010.

2012: Divorce from Glen David Gold

Alice Sebold and Glen David Gold divorced in 2012.

2016: Honorary Degree from Emerson College

Emerson College awarded Alice Sebold an honorary degree in 2016.

November 2021: Anthony Broadwater's Exoneration

In November 2021, Anthony Broadwater was exonerated by a New York Supreme Court justice, who found serious flaws in the original conviction, including reliance on unreliable forensic techniques and potentially coerced testimony.

2021: Exoneration of Anthony Broadwater

In 2021, Anthony Broadwater was officially exonerated after a judge overturned his wrongful conviction for the rape of Alice Sebold.

2021: Exoneration of Anthony Broadwater and Its Aftermath

In 2021, Anthony Broadwater, the man Alice Sebold accused of rape, was exonerated after spending 16 years in prison. Following this, Sebold's memoir, "Lucky," was pulled from distribution.