Reading Michael Chabon
by Helene Meyers
March 2010, 130pp, 6 1/8 x 9 1/4
1 volume, Libraries Unlimited

Hardcover: 978-0-313-35550-9
$60, £47, 53€, A83
eBook Available: 978-0-313-35551-6
Please contact your preferred eBook vendor for pricing.

His master’s thesis became his first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh, and Michael Chabon has not looked back since. A unique voice in American fiction, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author has created a body of work filled with engaging characters, imaginative scenarios, and highly original points of view. What inspires this brilliant novelist?

The world of Michael Chabon comes alive in the first full-length, analytical guide devoted to this brilliantly creative writer.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Chabon is considered one of the most distinguished contemporary American novelists. Reading Michael Chabon, the first full-length volume on the writer, views his career as bridging the gap between literary and popular culture. Designed for book club members and high school and college students, this reference guide will help readers keep track of Chabon’s intricate plots and draw thematic connections between and among his major novels. It will also help them understand his fiction as cultural commentary on contemporary masculinity and Jewish identity.

The book treats both Chabon’s life and work, including film adaptations of his novels, his love affair with comics, and his forays into detective and adventure fiction. A chapter is dedicated to each of his major novels, including Mysteries of Pittsburgh, Wonder Boys, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and The Yiddish Policemen’s Union.

Features

  • Sidebars provide insight into Michael Chabon's creative process
  • Includes an extensive bibliography of print and web resources, including book reviews and interviews
  • A user-friendly index enables readers to quickly locate information on novels, films, key themes, and biographical details
Helene Meyers is professor of English and McManis University Chair at Southwestern University in Georgetown, TX. She is the author of Femicidal Fears: Narratives of the Female Gothic Experience and is completing a book on narratives of Jewish identity in contemporary literature.

Reviews

"Meyers (English, Southwestern U.) offers what can be described as a handbook for readers of contemporary novelist Michael Chabon. The book covers Chabon’s life and work, including his journeys into adventure and detective fiction. As a reference guide, the book will help readers keep up with his complex plots and to draw the thematic connections common to his major novels, and to see his fiction as commentary on modern masculinity and Jewish identity. The book is intended for book club members and high school and college students."—Reference & Research Book News, August 1, 2010
?
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Accept All Cookies | Decline.