Richard Ford’s literary honour questioned by peers after history of aggressive behaviour

The Paris Review’s decision to give Ford the Hadada prize has been criticised in light of conduct that has included spitting on Colson Whitehead

The Paris Review’s decision to award its august lifetime achievement prize to Richard Ford has been criticised, with readers pointing to the American novelist’s history of poor conduct, such as when he spat in the face of fellow writer Colson Whitehead.

Ford will be presented with the Hadada prize in April by Bruce Springsteen, who once described Ford’s work as “poignant and hilarious”. Ford follows in the footsteps of previous winners including Philip Roth, Norman Mailer and Joan Didion, with the magazine saying that his “writing has been commended for its ‘linguistic mastery … rivalled by few, if any’ and for the ‘terse poetry’ he brings to his prose”.

Related: Richard Ford should swallow his pride over Colson Whitehead's bad review

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