Diane Ackerman Biography
Diane Ackerman is an American poet, essayist, and naturalist in Waukegan, Illinois, United States. She best known for her wide-ranging curiousness and poetic explorations of the natural world. She has written over twenty books, including A Natural History of the Senses, The Zookeeper’s Wife, and One Hundred Names for Love.
10 Quick Facts About Diane Ackerman
Here is a list of 10 facts about Ackerman
- Name: Diane Ackerman
- Age: 76 Years Old
- Birthday: October 7
- Zodiac Sign: Libra
- Height: Average
- Nationality: American
- Occupation: Poet, Essayist, Naturalist
- Marital Status: Married
- Salary: Not Available
- Net worth: $5 Million
Diane Ackerman Age
Ackerman is 76 years old, she was born on October 7, 1948, in Waukegan, Illinois, United States. She celebrates her birthday every October 7 every year, and her birth sign is Libra.
Diane Ackerman Height
Diane Ackerman stands at an average height. She appears to be quite tall if her photos, relative to her surroundings, are anything to go by. However, details regarding her actual height and other body measurements are currently not publicly available. We will update this section once the information is available.
Diane Ackerman Weight
Ackerman has a moderate weight. However, details regarding her weight and other body measurements are currently not publicly available. We will update this section once the information is available.
Early Life and Education
Ackerman was born on October 7, 1948, in Waukegan, Illinois. She grew up in a working-class family and was the first person in her family to attend college. Ackerman obtained a Bachelor of Arts in English from Pennsylvania State University and a Master of Arts, Master of Fine Arts and Ph.D. from Cornell University. Among the members of her dissertation committee was Carl Sagan, an astronomer and the creator of the Cosmos television series. She has been introduced at several universities, including Columbia and Cornell.
Rise to Fame and Breakthrough Moment
In 2015, Ackerman’s The Human Age won the National Outdoor Book Award in the Natural History Literature category and PEN New England’s Henry David Thoreau Prize for nature writing. In 2012, she was a finalist for both a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Critics Circle Award for One Hundred Names for Love.
Major Achievements and Contributions
- Ackerman’s awards include the Poetry Prize of the Academy of American Poets and the Corson Bishop Prize for Poetry in 1972, the Poetry Prize of the Black Warrior Review in 1981, and the Peter I. B. Lavan Younger Poet Award of the Academy of American Poets in 1985.
Personal Life
Diane Ackerman Family, Parents
Ackerman was born and raised as the sole daughter of Sam Fink (father), a shoe salesman, and Marsha Tischler Fink(mother) in Waukegan, Illinois, United States.
Diane Ackerman Siblings
Ackerman grew up alongside her brother, Howard in Waukegan, then a rural area, and she learned to love nature.
Diane Ackerman Husband
Ackerman was married to the novelist, Paul West. The pair was married from 1972 to 2015. Paul Norden West was a British-born American novelist, poet, and essayist. He was born in Eckington, Derbyshire in England to Alfred and Mildred (Norden) West. Before his death, he resided in Ithaca, New York.
Diane’s Spouse Dead| Paul West Dead
Paul West was born on 23 February 1930 but died on 18 October 2015 from pneumonia. West died at the age of 85.
Diane Ackerman Children
Ackerman does not have any children.
Diane Ackerman Net Worth
Diane Ackerman’s net worth is estimated at $5 million dollars. This includes her assets, money, and income. Her primary source of income is her career as a Poet, Essayist, and Naturalist. Through her various sources of income, Ackerman has accumulated good fortune but prefers to lead a modest lifestyle.
Facts: Everything You Need to Know About Diane Ackerman
Here are some interesting facts you should know about Diane.

Diane Ackerman Bio.
- Full Names: Diane Ackerman
- Popular As: Author
- Gender: Female
- Occupation / Profession: Poet, Essayist, Naturalist
- Nationality: American
- Race / Ethnicity: Not Available
- Religion: Christian
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
Birthday
- Age / How Old?: 76 Years Old
- Zodiac Sign: Libra
- Date of Birth: October 7, 1948
- Place of Birth: Waukegan, Illinois, United States
- Birthday: October 7
Body Measurements
- Height / How Tall?: Average
- Weight: Moderate
- Eye Color: Black
- Hair Color: Black
- Shoe Size: Not Available
- Dress Size: Not Available
- Breast Size: Not Available
- Waist Size: Not Available
- Hip Size: Not Available
Family and Relationship
- Father (Dad): Not Known
- Mother: Not Known
- Siblings (Brothers and Sisters): Not Known
- Marital Status: Widow
- Husband/Spouse: Paul West (m. 1970–2015)
- Children: None
Net Worth and Salary
- Net Worth: $5 Million
- Salary: Not Available
- Source of Income: Poet, Essayist, Naturalist
School Prayer
“School Prayer” is a poem composed by American poet and naturalist Ackerman. It is the first of 50 poems in Ackerman’s book I Praise My Destroyer, which was published in 1998. “School Prayer” is a commitment to protect and revere nature in every form it may appear. The poem was repeated and discussed by Garrison Keillor on his daily podcast The Writer’s Almanac.
Contacts
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