50% Off The Criterion Collection Shop Now
The Letters of William Gaddis
Now recognized as one of the giants of postwar American fiction, William Gaddis (1922–98) shunned the spotlight during his life, which makes this collection of his letters a revelation. Beginning in 1930 when Gaddis was at boarding-school and ending in September 1998, a few months before his death, these letters function as a kind of autobiography, and are all the more valuable because Gaddis was not an autobiographical writer. Here we see him forging his first novel The Recognitions (1955) while living in Mexico, fighting in a revolution in Costa Rica, and working in Spain, France, and North Africa. Over the next twenty years he struggles to find time to write the National Book Award-winning J R (1975) amid the complications of work and family; deals with divorce and disillusionment before reviving his career with Carpenter's Gothic (1985); then teaches himself enough about the law to indite A Frolic of His Own (1994), which earned him another NBA. Returning to a topic he first wrote about in the 1940s, he finishes his last novel Agape Agape as he lay dying.
"1109454633"
The Letters of William Gaddis
Now recognized as one of the giants of postwar American fiction, William Gaddis (1922–98) shunned the spotlight during his life, which makes this collection of his letters a revelation. Beginning in 1930 when Gaddis was at boarding-school and ending in September 1998, a few months before his death, these letters function as a kind of autobiography, and are all the more valuable because Gaddis was not an autobiographical writer. Here we see him forging his first novel The Recognitions (1955) while living in Mexico, fighting in a revolution in Costa Rica, and working in Spain, France, and North Africa. Over the next twenty years he struggles to find time to write the National Book Award-winning J R (1975) amid the complications of work and family; deals with divorce and disillusionment before reviving his career with Carpenter's Gothic (1985); then teaches himself enough about the law to indite A Frolic of His Own (1994), which earned him another NBA. Returning to a topic he first wrote about in the 1940s, he finishes his last novel Agape Agape as he lay dying.
25.99 In Stock
The Letters of William Gaddis

The Letters of William Gaddis

The Letters of William Gaddis
Add to Wishlist
The Letters of William Gaddis

The Letters of William Gaddis

Overview

Now recognized as one of the giants of postwar American fiction, William Gaddis (1922–98) shunned the spotlight during his life, which makes this collection of his letters a revelation. Beginning in 1930 when Gaddis was at boarding-school and ending in September 1998, a few months before his death, these letters function as a kind of autobiography, and are all the more valuable because Gaddis was not an autobiographical writer. Here we see him forging his first novel The Recognitions (1955) while living in Mexico, fighting in a revolution in Costa Rica, and working in Spain, France, and North Africa. Over the next twenty years he struggles to find time to write the National Book Award-winning J R (1975) amid the complications of work and family; deals with divorce and disillusionment before reviving his career with Carpenter's Gothic (1985); then teaches himself enough about the law to indite A Frolic of His Own (1994), which earned him another NBA. Returning to a topic he first wrote about in the 1940s, he finishes his last novel Agape Agape as he lay dying.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781564788375
Publisher: Deep Vellum Publishing
Publication date: 03/14/2013
Series: American Literature
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
Pages: 600
File size: 7 MB

About the Author

About The Author
William Gaddis (1922-98) stands among the greatest American writers of the twentieth century. The winner of two National Book Awards (for "J R" [1976] and "A Frolic of His Own" [1995]), he wrote five novels during his lifetime, including "Carpenter's Gothic "(1985), "Agap? Agape" (published posthumously in 2002), and his early masterpiece "The Recognitions" (1955). He is loved and admired for his stylistic innovations, his unforgettable characters, his pervasive humor, and the breadth of his intellect and vision.

Steven Moore earned his Ph.D. at Rutgers University. He is aSteven Moore earned his Ph.D. at Rutgers University. He is a noted William Gaddis scholar and wrote "William Gaddis", th noted William Gaddis scholar and wrote "William Gaddis", the first comprehensive critical guide to his work, and "A Reae first comprehensive critical guide to his work, and "A Reader's Guide to William Gaddis's The Recognitions". Moore hasder's Guide to William Gaddis's The Recognitions". Moore has edited a number of books, including "Beerspit Night and Cur edited a number of books, including "Beerspit Night and Cursing: The Correspondence of Charles Bukowski & Sheri Martinesing: The Correspondence of Charles Bukowski & Sheri Martinelli 1960-1967" and "In Recognition of William Gaddis". He halli 1960-1967" and "In Recognition of William Gaddis". He has also contributed essays, articles, and reviews to a numbers also contributed essays, articles, and reviews to a number of newspapers, journals, and magazines. of newspapers, journals, and magazines.

William Gaddis (1922-98) stands among the greatest American writers of the twentieth century. The winner of two National Book Awards (for "J R" [1976] and "A Frolic of His Own" [1995]), he wrote five novels during his lifetime, including "Carpenter's Gothic "(1985), "Agap? Agape" (published posthumously in 2002), and his early masterpiece "The Recognitions" (1955). He is loved and admired for his stylistic innovations, his unforgettable characters, his pervasive humor, and the breadth of his intellect and vision.

Date of Birth:

December 29, 1922

Date of Death:

December 17, 1998

Place of Birth:

New York, New York

Place of Death:

East Hampton, New York

Education:

Attended Harvard University (no degree)

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

1 Growing Up, 1930-1946 15

2 The Recognitions, 1947-1955 59

3 JR, 1955-1975 223

4 Carpenter's Gothic, 1975-1985 303

5 A Frolic of His Own, 1985-1994 419

6 Agape Agape, 1994-1998 505

Afterword Sarah Gaddis 529

Index 533

From the B&N Reads Blog
Page 1 of

Related Subjects

Literature
Letters
American & Canadian Letters
Literature
Letters
American & Canadian Letters

Customer Reviews