- Born
- Died
- Birth nameColeman Bryan Barks
- Coleman Barks was born on April 23, 1937 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA. He was an actor and writer, known for The Interpreted Dream (2019), Say Yes Quickly (2004) and Big Bad Love (2001). He was married to Kittsu Greenwood. He died on February 23, 2026 in Athens, Georgia, USA.
- SpouseKittsu Greenwood(1962 - ?) (divorced, 2 children)
- ChildrenColeBenjamin
- RelativesElizabeth Barks Cox(Sibling)
- Received a BA from the University of North Carolina and an MA from the University of California, Berkeley, before returning to the University of North Carolina to earn a PhD.
- In 2004, he received the Juliet Hollister Award for his work and in 2006, the University of Tehran awarded him an honorary doctorate in recognition of his contributions to the field of Rumi translation.
- In 1976, Barks' close friend, the poet Robert Bly, showed him some academic translations of Jalal al-Din Rumi, the thirteenth-century mystic Persian poet. Bly urged Barks to "release the poems from their cages." Later, Barks became a student of the Sri Lankan Sufi mystic Bawa Muhaiyaddeen. Thus began his long and illustrious career translating Rumi, and producing dozens of volumes including The Essential Rumi, A Year with Rumi, and ultimately, the comprehensive Big Red Book. His translations have sold millions of copies and have been translated into many languages spanning 41 countries, inspiring readers worldwide.
- Barks was inducted into the Georgia Writers Hall of Fame in 2009.
- He attended Baylor School and was a stellar athlete who excelled at soccer and tennis.
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