Of course, what makes his fiction work is that central paradox of literature. It feels like a compendium rather than a collection. Jim shepard is the author of four previous collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which won the story prize and was a finalist for the national book award, and his short fiction has often been selected for best american short stories and the peno. Jim shepard has written seven novels and four story collections, including like youd understand, anyway, a finalist for the national book award and story prize winner. The world to come, stories by jim shepard the washington post. Jim shepard is the national book awardfinalist and highly acclaimed author of seven novels and five collections of stories, including the book of aron and like youd understand, anyway. Profile jim shepard, novelist and short story writer, is renowned for darkly humorous tales, unusual historical settings, and work that explores the peculiar pain of male adolescence.
Jim shepard has 62 books on goodreads with 68985 ratings. It begins before the germans invaded poland and, through arons eyes, takes us from the polish countryside into the depths of the warsaw ghetto and then into the famous orphanage for destitute children run by the reallife janusz korczak. The best stories in his new collection, the world to come, bring a slight shift in tone to his work. Jim shepard s most popular book is the book of aron.
Jim shepards new book, the book of aron, tells the story of a jewish boy growing up in poverty and desperation. Toby lichtig, the jewish quarterly a work of art and moving masterpiece. Jim shepard all you wanted to know about one of americas best. Jim shepards novel enters a crowded canon and it stands there, head and shoulders, with the best. Perhaps no one is more adept at exploring and expressing the fragility of the human condition than author jim shepard, the j. He lives in williamstown, massachusetts, with his wife, three children, and three beagles. The 33 new books youll want to add to your shelf next year. I am currently only shipping within the usa but i can use the global shipping program. Jim shepard on why we still need literary journals. I really enjoyed love and hydrogen, but im just gonna come right out and say it. Theres nothing more present than death in jim shepard s latest book of short stories. The book of aron by jim shepard penguin random house audio. Death and disaster in jim shepards great new story.
Jun 04, 2015 shepard s seventh novel is a powerful statement about history and compassion, set in the warsaw ghetto. The most recent of his seven novels, the book of aron, won the pennew england. Jim shepard is the author of seven novels, including the book of aron. Jim shepard on two very different writers the center for. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.
May 12, 2015 an understated and devastating novel of the warsaw ghetto during the nazi occupation, as seen through the eyes of a streetwise boy. May 05, 2015 jim shepard is the author of seven novels, including most recently the book of aron, which won the sophie brody medal for achievement in jewish literature from the american library association and the pen new england award for fiction, and five story collections, including his new collection, the world to come. Jim shepard now delivers a new collection that spans borders and centuries with unrivaled mastery. One noteworthy exception is jim shepard, an outrageously versatile and gifted.
Jim shepard recommends his favourite short stories five books. Jim shepard books list of books by author jim shepard. Hes won the pushcart prize, the story prize, and an american library association award. Jim shepard born 1956 is an american novelist and short story writer, who teaches creative writing and film at williams college. A couple of the 10 stories in jim shepard s fifth collection occur in todays world, but most are historical fiction. Jim shepard s novel enters a crowded canon and it stands there, head and shoulders, with the best. His is a grain of sand added to the vast shore of literary and scholarly reflection that has accumulated in the past 70 years. About the world to come without a doubt the most ambitious story writer in america, according to the daily beast, jim shepard now delivers a new collection that spans borders and centuries with unrivaled mastery. Like youd understand, anyway by jim shepard, paperback. Ive written elsewhere about my preference forsingle collections over best ofs, and its a similar thing here.
Jim shepard s new novel follows a depressed and probably doomed young boy in the warsaw jewish ghetto during world war ii. The book of aron, by jim shepard, is a masterpiece. These ten stories ring with voices belonging toamong othersenglish arctic explorers in one of historys most nightmarish expeditions, a young contemporary american. Jim shepard was called a master of the historical short story by the new york times. Jim shepard jim shepard is the author of four previous collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which won the story prize and was a finalist for the national book award, and his short fiction has often been selected for best american short stories and the peno.
Buy jim shepard ebooks to read online or download in pdf or epub on your pc, tablet or mobile device. He currently teaches creative writing and film at williams college. Jim shepard has masterfully made this childseye view of the darkest history mesmerizing, sometimes comic despite all odds, truly heartbreaking, and even inspiring. Stories by jim shepard paperback book free shipping. Theres less sense than usual of looking at small, crushable specimens under a magnifying lens, and more heart and feeling racketing around in his characters.
Anyone who hears arons voice will remember it forever. Jim shepard is the author of four previous collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which won the story prize and was a finalist for the national book award, and his short fiction has often been selected for best american short. Jim shepard named national book award finalist office of. Jim shepard author biography, plus links to books by jim. His short story collection like youd understand, anyway won the story prize in 2007, and was nominated for a national book. Mar 22, 2011 jim shepard is the author of six novels and three short story collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which was a finalist for the national book award in 2007. Jim shepard talks book of aron and how to write a holocaust novel by claire fallon j im shepard was in new york for a flying visit to see wolf hall, and agreed to meet for an interview at an unfortunately bustling cafe in manhattan.
The novel opens with aron discussing his name, and how he became known as shmaya, which means god has heard. Jim shepard is the author of four previous collections, including like youd. The book of aron carries the burden of its subject with a mordant frankness at once heartbreaking, refreshing andhardest won of allenchanting. Book summary without a doubt the most ambitious story writer in america, according to the daily beast, jim shepard now delivers a new collection that spans borders and. Critic michael schaub calls it a rewarding, shocking and.
Like alice munro, shepard has a knack for compressing a novels worth of life into. Jim shepard born 1956 is an american novelist and short story writer, who teaches creative. Book awards book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new releases. Announcement was made in the philadelphia inquirer and the new york times. Jim shepard is the author of six novels and three short story collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which was a finalist for the national book award in 2007. May 24, 2015 jim shepard has created his novel in a vastly different context. Shepards characters confront everything from the emotional pitfalls of everyday life to colossal catastrophes, battling natural forces, the hazards of new technology. His new short story collection, you think thats bad, will be published by alfred a. The most recent of his seven novels, the book of aron, won the pennew england award, the sophie brody medal for. This book features 22 short stories, a number of which appeared in shepard s first collection, batting against castro. Jim shepard was named a national book award 2007 finalist in fiction on october 10 for his collection of short stories like youd understand, anyway. Jim shepards two new books explore the fragility of the.
The questions, discussion topics, and reading list that follow are intended to enhance your reading groups discussion of the book of aron, the haunting new novel by acclaimed author jim shepard. The acclaimed national book award finalistone of the united states finest. New and selection stories 2004 this book features 22 short stories, a number of which appeared in shepards first collection, batting against castro. Jim shepard is the author of seven novels, including most recently the book of aron, which won the sophie brody medal for achievement in jewish literature from the american library association and the pen new england award for fiction, and four story collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which was a finalist for the national book award and won the story prize. The prolific and versatile shepard batting against castro, 1996, etc. Critic michael schaub calls it a rewarding, shocking and beautiful book. As i mentioned a few weeks ago, ive read two jim shepard collections in recent months. Shepards new novel, the book of aron, set in the warsaw ghetto, is another. Jim shepard is the author of seven novels, including most recently the book of aron, which won the sophie brody medal for achievement in jewish literature from the american library association and the pen new england award for fiction, and five story collections, including his new collection, the world to come. These ten stories ring with voices belonging toamong othersenglish arctic explorers in one of historys most nightmarish expeditions, a young co. Back to the future jim shepard s new collection of stories, grim but varied in subject and voice, come alive with humor, relevance, and a lively cast of characters.
Jim shepard on two very different writers the center for fiction. May 5, 2015 jim shepards new novel follows a depressed and probably doomed young boy in the warsaw jewish ghetto during world war ii. See all books authored by jim shepard, including like youd understand, anyway. Jim shepard is the author of seven novels, including most recently the book of aron, which won the sophie brody medal for achievement in jewish literature from the american library association and the pennew england award for fiction, and five story collections, including his. May 21, 2015 the narrator of jim shepard s harrowing new novel, the book of aron, is the sort of anarchic and undomesticated boy who would be dubbed a rapscallion in the lexicon of mark twain. Jim shepard is the author of four previous collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which won the story prize and was a finalist for the national book award, and his short fiction has often been selected for best american short stories and the pen o. The most recent of his seven novels, the book of aron, won the pen new england award, the sophie brody medal. The book of aron, by jim shepard the new york times. Jim shepard talks book of aron and how to write a holocaust.
Feb 27, 2017 theres nothing more present than death in jim shepards latest book of short stories. A fantastic writer compassionate, funny and fearless george saunders one of the uss finest writers according to joshua ferris, jim shepard now delivers a new collection that spans borders and centuries with unrivalled mastery. Apr 03, 2011 its unclear why jim shepard tends to collect his short stories under titles that seem more like shrugs. Leland miller professor of american history, literature and eloquence at williams college. Jim shepard is the author of six previous novels and four story collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which was a finalist for the national book award and won the story prize. Five of his short stories have been chosen for the best american short stories, two. No easy answers in the book of aron may 5, 2015 jim shepards new novel follows a depressed and probably doomed young boy in the warsaw jewish ghetto during world war ii. Very good condition showing minimal wear from use and no marked or torn pages i am selling a paperback copy of project x by jim shepard. Narrated by aron, a boy who loses first his home and then his family, the story pays tribute.
Author jim shepards the world to come is entertaining. Jim shepard has created his novel in a vastly different context. He lives in massachusetts with his family and teaches creative writing at the historic liberal arts establishment williams college. Shepard has recently earned more renown for his short stories you think thats bad, 2011, etc. A reader finishes them buzzing with awejim shepard now gives us his first entirely new collection in more than a decade. May 19, 2015 animator drew roberts gives us the opening lines from jim shepards new novel, the book of aron. One of his seven novels, the book of aron, won the pen new england award, the sophie brody medal. Jim shepard s superb the book of aron, his seventh novel, set in the warsaw ghetto, is a work of straightahead naturalism, but it is nothing like wiesels pioneering 1960 novel. Jim shepard about the author jim shepard is the author of four previous collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which won the story prize and was a finalist for the national book award, and his short fiction has often been selected for best american short stories and the peno.
Join facebook to connect with jim shepard and others you may know. Jim shepard is the author of seven novels and four story collections, including like youd understand, anyway, which was a finalist for the national book award and won the story prize. These ten stories ring with voices as diverse as those belonging to arctic explorers in. Jim shepard is the author of seven novels and four previous story collections. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the book of aron. His short fiction has appeared in the new yorker, harpers, mcsweeneys and the best american short stories series. Project x by jim shepard 2005, paperback very good.
Shepard s newest story collection, like youd understand, anyway 2007, received the 2008 story prize and was a finalist for the national book award. So in a way, the book of aron is clearly a new jim shepard story, pinned to a narrow point of view, psychological and harrowing and detailed within an inch of its life. His recent collection, like youd understand anyway, includes stories about the greek. Jim shepard is the author of seven novels, including most recently the book of aron.
149 797 1026 1134 1492 569 1425 190 1431 565 1295 1011 1177 383 258 1352 102 39 513 203 330 899 354 2 1002 262 1342 1099 1059 664 103 643 651