Helen Thorpe Biography
Helen Thorpe is an American freelance journalist and author. She is best known as the former First Lady of Colorado following her then-husband John Hickenlooper’s inauguration until their divorce in 2015.
Thorpe earned her undergraduate degree with high honors from Princeton University. Subsequently, in 1989, she pursued graduate studies at Columbia University. Here, she achieved a master’s degree in English literature. After completing her education at Princeton University, she embarked on her career, initially securing internships at the Atlantic Monthly in Boston. She later worked as a staff writer at The New York Observer. This was before catching the attention of editor Tina Brown and joining the New Yorker Magazine. In 1994, she made a move to Texas Monthly, residing in Austin until her departure in 1999. Her diverse body of work includes contributions to publications such as George, New York, Westword, The New York Times Magazine, and 5280. Notably, she authored pieces for The New Yorker’s “Talk of the Town” and has written for Slate and Harper’s Bazaar.
The accomplished writer also boasts four published books. Her debut, “Just Like Us,” explores the lives of four Denver girls of Mexican descent, tackling immigration into the United States. “Soldier Girls,” her second book published in 2014, recounts the experiences of three women in the Army National Guard. The women unexpectedly served deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. “The Newcomers,” released in 2017, chronicles the first year in America for 22 recently arrived teenagers from nations affected by drought, famine, or war. This work delves into themes of immigration, multiculturalism, and America’s global role. Her fourth book, “Finding Motherland,” published digitally in 2020, comprises linked essays on family, food, and migration. Thorpe’s impactful stories have been featured on radio shows like This American Life and Soundprint.
Additionally, “Just Like Us” was adapted for the stage by the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, and HBO, along with Julia Louis-Dreyfus, optioned “Soldier Girls” for a potential miniseries. Beyond her writing pursuits, she shares her expertise as a narrative nonfiction instructor at Lighthouse Writers Workshop and Regis University. She has also served as a visiting professor in the journalism program at Colorado College and holds a position on the board of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. Thorpe, in addition to her impressive career, actively contributes to the literary and educational realms. Presently, she serves as a faculty member at Lighthouse Writers Workshop, where she imparts her expertise in narrative nonfiction to aspiring writers. Her commitment extends to offering consultations to fellow authors engaged in the craft of narrative nonfiction.
Her influence in academia reaches beyond Lighthouse Writers Workshop. As a visiting professor in the Mile High MFA program at Regis University, she shares her knowledge and experience with students pursuing advanced degrees in writing. Moreover, her contributions to higher education include serving as a visiting professor in the journalism program at Colorado College. Further underscoring her commitment to education, she has held the position of Ferris visiting professor of journalism at Princeton University. In this capacity, she brings her practical insights and journalistic acumen to students at one of the renowned Ivy League institutions. Through her teaching and professorial roles, she continues to inspire and shape the next generation of writers and journalists, fostering a deeper understanding of narrative nonfiction within academic settings.
Helen Thorpe Salary
Thorpe earns an annual salary of about $47,000-$120,000.
Helen Thorpe Net Worth
Thorpe has an estimated net worth of about $1 Million – $7 Million which she has earned through her career as an author.
Helen Thorpe Age
Thorpe was born on January 23, 1963, in London, United Kingdom. She is 63 years old as of 2024, and she celebrates her birthday on the 23rd of January every year.
Helen Thorpe Height and Weight
Thorpe stands at a height of 5 feet 6 inches tall, and she weighs 125 lbs (75kgs).
Helen Thorpe Family
Thorpe is the daughter Marie and Laurence Thorpe, an Irish couple. Her father was an engineer at the British Broadcasting Company. She has younger twin siblings.
Helen Thorpe Husband and Children
Thorpe is married to John Hickenlooper who she met in 2000 at her 37th birthday party. They tied the knot on January 2002, in a Quaker wedding ceremony in Austin. They divorced in January 2015 and together they have been blessed with one child, whom they named; Teddy Hickenlooper. She resides in Denver together with her family.
Helen Thorpe Books
Thorpe, a distinguished journalist, has dedicated her nonfiction works to exploring the stories of individuals undergoing significant life transitions related to national borders. Her books delve into the experiences of immigrants navigating the complexities of legal status, military veterans readjusting to civilian life after conflict, and refugees in the process of resettlement. Beyond these explorations, she has also crafted a collection of interconnected essays, providing a personal narrative of her family’s journey from Ireland to England and ultimately to the United States. This poignant collection reflects on the challenges of maintaining connections with extended family members—namely, aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents—across the Atlantic.
Her writing has earned praise for its meticulous observance and keen sensitivity to the poignant ironies inherent in her chosen topics. As noted by The New Yorker, her work stands out for its acute attention to detail, ensuring a thoughtful exploration of the intricate facets of human experiences shaped by migration, military service, and familial connections. In a 2006 essay titled “Finding Motherland,” She candidly portrayed herself as a multifaceted individual, juggling various roles as a “part-time stay-at-home mom, part-time professional journalist, and part-time political spouse.” Opting for a more flexible approach, she relinquished tight magazine deadlines and embarked on a quest for a long-term research topic with both local relevance in Denver and national significance.
This quest led her to focus on young immigrants to the United States, particularly four high school seniors whose parents had entered the country illegally from Mexico. With two of the students being U.S. citizens and two not, she seized the opportunity to explore the implications of their legal status on their challenges and opportunities. The culmination of this endeavor was her first book, “Just Like Us” (2009), which garnered critical acclaim. Not only did it win the Colorado Book Award for creative nonfiction, but it was also recognized as one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post. Her subsequent book, “Soldier Girls” (2014), shifted focus to the experiences of three women who enlisted in the Indiana National Guard shortly before the events of September 11, 2001.
Despite initially not anticipating combat, these women found themselves in extended deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq, only to face the complexities of readjusting to civilian life upon their return. Widely praised for offering “a moving portrait of both the toll that the chaos of wartime military life takes and the numbing realities of being female and poor in this country,” “Soldier Girls” earned the distinction of being named Time magazine’s best nonfiction book of the year.