Barry Gifford Bücher

Exploring themes of race, religion, and politics, this collection features excerpts from all thirteen of Barry Gifford's novels and novellas, alongside essays, poetry, journalism, and a new interview. The work presents an episodic view of Gifford's distinctive human comedy, showcasing a cast of eccentric characters and bizarre events. Lula, a central figure, encapsulates the essence of this world as "wild at heart and weird on top," offering readers a glimpse into the author's unique narrative style and perspective.

Anecdotal reflections shape this collection, offering insights into Barry Gifford's experiences as a writer. Divided into three sections—books, film and television, and music—it showcases his best work, including an in-depth nine-part analysis of Marlon Brando's One-Eyed Jacks. Gifford explores the intertwining of public and private lives of the film's figures, presenting a unique perspective on the movie's narrative and impact. This revised edition captures the essence of Gifford's literary contributions across various mediums.

Exploring the aftermath of loss, these three plays delve into the complex dynamics of grief within families. "Tricks" examines the psychological depths of two men seeking connection beyond physical intimacy, hinting at fractured identities. "Blackout" portrays a 1930s couple, Danny and Diane, trapped in their sorrow over a child's death, with Diane retreating into delusions. In "Mrs. Kashfi," a young boy encounters a haunting presence while his mother seeks solace through clairvoyance, highlighting the eerie intersections of life and death.

Set against the backdrop of postwar Chicago, the narrative follows Roy, a young man grappling with the absence of a father while navigating a tumultuous world filled with violence and poverty. Through a blend of memoir and fiction, the collection of forty-one short stories captures Roy's journey of self-discovery amid a cast of vivid characters, including charlatans and dreamers. The stories explore themes of adventure, imagination, and the harsh realities of growing up, revealing the complexities of adolescence and the bittersweet nature of life.

Known for his contributions to the American neo-noir genre, Barry Gifford's body of work spans novels, stories, poetry, and films over four decades. His writing captures the essence of life's cruelty, horror, and banality with striking brevity, as noted by The New York Times Book Review. Gifford's gritty tales delve into the darker aspects of American life, showcasing his unique ability to convey complex emotions and themes with simplicity and depth.

"A fascinating literary and historical document, the most insightful look at the Beat Generation." —Dan Wakefield, author of New York in the Fifties and Going All the Way First published in 1978, Jack's Book gives us an intimate look into the life and times of the "King of the Beats." Through the words of the close friends, lovers, artists, and drinking buddies who survived him, writers Barry Gifford and Lawrence Lee recount Jack Kerouac's story, from his childhood in Lowell, Massachusetts, to his tragic end in Florida at the age of forty-seven. Including anecdotes from an eclectic list of well-known figures such as Allen Ginsberg, William S. Burroughs, and Gore Vidal, as well as Kerouac's ordinary acquaintances, this groundbreaking oral biography—the first of its kind—presents us with a remarkably insightful portrait of an American legend and the spirit of a generation.