Buy independence day by richard ford online at alibris. Richard ford born february 16, 1944 is an american novelist and short story writer. In this visionary sequel to the sportswriter, richard ford deepens his portrait of one of the most unforgettable characters in american fiction, and in so doing gives us an indelible portrait of america. Independence day by richard ford, first edition abebooks. His bestknown works are the novel the sportswriter and its sequels, independence day, the lay of the land and let me be frank with you, and the short story collection rock springs, which contains several widely anthologized stories. Richard ford was born in jackson, mississippi, in 1944. Ford follows his muchcelebrated the sportswriter 1986, picking up the story about six years later, as frank bascombe, now in his 40s, emerges from the midlife crisis depicted in the earlier book. Independence day paperback by richard ford author and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The time is 1988, and frank is looking forward to the fourth of july weekend, when hes arranged to meet with his girlfriend, sally. No longer a writer of any kind, frank sells real estate in haddam, new jersey, during the boom period of the 80s. Pdf independence day book frank bascombe free download. Richard ford, a mississippi novelist and short story writer who in 1996 won the pulitzer prize for literature and the penwilliam faulkner award for independence day, was born in jackson, mississippi, on february 16, 1944. Independence day by ford, richard and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Independence day was awarded the pulitzer prize and the penfaulkner award for fiction.
Franks independence day, however, turns out not as hed planned, and this decent, appealingly bewildered, profoundly observant man is wrenched, gradually and inevitably, out of his private refuge. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 464 pages and is available in format. In fact, there are hints throughout the book that we may be onto something even. Independence day by richard ford takes place primarily in the fictional town of haddam, new jersey in 1988. With the sportswriter, in 1986, richard ford commenced a cycle of novels that, 10 years later, after independence day won both the pulitzer prize and the penfaulkner award, was hailed by the times of london as an extraordinary epic that is nothing less than the story of the 20th century itself.
Buy independence day by richard ford from amazons fiction books store. In this visionary sequel to the sportswriter, richard ford deepens his portrait of one of the. How is ford s pervasive use of humor integral to his development of plot and theme. The novel continues the odyssey of selfdiscovery on which frank embarked in fords. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. Feb 08, 2003 but ford had found the process of writing independence day, begun in 1991 and published in 1995, exacting. Richard fords literary honour questioned by peers after. Richard ford on his new shortstory collection and how. How does independence day s catalog of past and present americana juxtapose the ideal and the real.
Barbara ehrenreich on richard fords independence day. Independence day by richard ford book club discussion. The sportswriter, independence day, the lay of the land, let me be frank with you, and the bascombe novels. Richard ford won both the pulitzer prize and the penfaulkner award for fiction with independence day in 1995. Independence day captures the mystery of life in all its conflicted glory with grand humour, intense compassion and transfixing power. Independence day by richard ford a visionary account of american life and the longawaited sequel to one of the most celebrated novels of the past decade independence day reveals a man and our country with unflinching comedy and the specter of hope and even permanence, all of which richard ford evokes with keen intelligence, perfect. I didnt finish a book until i was 19 kate kellaway the pulitzer prize winner on the freedom that comes with age, how he reinvented his writing life and overcoming childhood dyslexia. Independence day is the firstperson narrative of frank bascombe, a sportswriter turned realestate agent.
Independence day is a 1995 novel by richard ford and the sequel to ford s 1986 novel the sportswriter. Independence day npr coverage of independence day by richard ford. Richard fords independence day is a masterpiece of a. Richard ford, mississippi writer and pulitzer prize winner. Mar 12, 2020 the author of five novels and two collections of stories, richard ford was awarded the pulitzer prize and the penfaulkner award for independence day, the first book to win both prizes. Haddam, new jersey, is introduced as idyllic, but reality soon counters the idyll. Independence day, by richard ford the new york times. Independence day is essentially an internal monologue, set on the long july 4th weekend of 1988. Richard ford is simply brilliant at capturing the uncapturable. He is, alas, in late maturity, that time in his professional life wherein technical mastery and a defined voice no longer carry the day. Frank bascombe, in the aftermath of his divorce and the ruin of his career, has entered an existence period, selling real. New orleans, he says is noisy and crowded and not a good place to be a novelist.
The author of five novels and two collections of stories, richard ford was awarded the pulitzer prize and the penfaulkner award for independence day, the first book to win both prizes. Any novel about a middle aged man visiting the baseball hal of fame with his son over the independence day weekend has me hooked from the first page. Independence day won the pulitzer prize and penfaulkner award for fiction in 1996, becoming the first novel ever to. The first edition of the novel was published in 1995, and was written by richard ford. Signed by the author on th condition very fine in a fine dust jacket. Everyday low prices on a huge range of new releases and classic fiction. As the sportswriter ends, protagonist frank bascombe is a divorced bachelor, struggling in a job he really doesnt like, drifting from one short term.
For some richard ford s second bascombe book will be too introspective, too slow moving. A visionary account of american lifeand the longawaited sequel. My first book was about the south and was captivated by certain traditional. Richard ford, american writer of novels and short stories about lonely and damaged people. We hope they will aid your understanding of a novel that is at once casual and lyric, hilarious and poignant, irreverent and inspiring. He is the son of parker carrol ford, a traveling salesman who was seldom home because he sold laundry starch to wholesale. His promise as a fiction writerstill dwelled upon at lengthcan be the only. Free download or read online independence day pdf epub frank bascombe series book. Richard ford is the author of many books, including canada and the pulitzer prizewinning independence day. The questions, discussion topics, suggested reading list, and author biography that follow are intended to enhance your groups reading and discussion of richard ford s pulitzer prizewinning independence day. Jul 23, 2016 richard ford attempted to answer that question in independence day, the second novel in the critically acclaimed frank bascombe series. Sign me up to get more news about literary fiction books.
He is definitely the most skilled writer ive ever read when it comes to translating onto the page just what goes on in the human mind and heart as they struggle to cope with pain, loss, disappointment, and ultimately regeneration. This is the second novel in a fourpart series, and it. The first page provides details for marketing the book, due out in june 1995 with an initial press run of 50,000 copies. It is a sequel to ford s earlier novel the sportswriter, which i have yet to read, but i never got the impression i was missing anything due to lack of familiarity with the earlier novel. In 2001 he received the penmalamud award for excellence in short fiction. This novel is the second in what is now a fourpart series, the first being the sportswriter.
It was followed by the lay of the land 2006 and let me be frank with you 2014. His novel wildlife was adapted into a 2018 film of the same name. He has published five novels and three collections of stories, including the sportswriter, independence day, wildlife, a multitude of sins and most recently the lay of the land. His new shortstory collection, sorry for your trouble, was published may 12. In some respects, independence day is the best book ive ever read. Richard fords independence day is a masterpiece of a novel. Independence day is the second book of richard fords trilogy which won him the coveted pulitzer prize and sent many surprised readers out to purchase the bypassed book 1 the sportswriter. The main characters of this fiction, seduction story are frank bascombe. I found the novel moving and insightful even if frank is a frustrating protagonist at. His most recent novel, independence day, which brought back frank.
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