Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson, American author

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Born: October 23, 1961
Age in 2026: 65
Zodiac sign: Scorpio
Birth year: 1961

About Laurie Halse Anderson

Laurie Halse Anderson is an American writer, known for children's and young adult novels. She received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 2010 for her contribution to young adult literature and in 2023 she received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. The novel became a finalist for the National Book Award and won Anderson honors for its portrayal of a thirteen-year-old girl who becomes mute after a sexual assault. She was first recognized for her novel Speak, published in 1999.

Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.

Laurie Halse Anderson timeline

1999She was first recognized for her novel Speak, published in 1999.
2010She received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association in 2010 for her contribution to young adult literature and in 2023 she received the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award.

The world when Laurie Halse Anderson was born

Laurie Halse Anderson was born in 1961. The year snapshot below places that birthday in its cultural and historical setting: the music and films people were following, the headlines shaping public life, and the everyday prices families encountered.

Culture in 1961

#1 song"Tossin' and Turnin'" – Bobby Lewis
Top movieWest Side Story
Top TV showGunsmoke
Best-selling bookCatch-22 – Joseph Heller

Headlines and milestones

Major sports momentRoger Maris hits 61 home runs, breaking Babe Ruth's record
Top headlineYuri Gagarin becomes the first person in space
Technology milestoneYuri Gagarin becomes first human in space
Defining fadSurfing culture
Notable inventionValium
World population3.08 billion

United States snapshot

U.S. leaderJohn F. Kennedy
Sports championNew York Yankees (World Series)
Also wonBoston Celtics (NBA)
U.S. population183.7M

1961 versus 2026

These figures put everyday life in Laurie Halse Anderson's birth year beside the site's latest United States snapshot.

Measure	1961	2026
Gas	$0.31	$3.45/gal
Average home	$12,500	$435,000
Average income	$7,600	$67,500
Minimum wage	$1.15	$7.25/hr (federal)
Movie ticket	$0.69	$11.95
Postage stamp	$0.04	$0.73
Population	183.7M	341 million

Sources and editorial standards

This profile combines a biographical source with structured birthday and historical context. Sources recorded for this profile: Wikipedia, Library of Congress. See our editorial policy for sourcing, corrections, and review standards.

Read the source biography on Wikipedia. Wikipedia text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.