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The Collected Works of Jo Ann Beard

'The literary world's best kept secret' The Times
4.45 goodreads logo

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( 58 ratings, 10 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Collected Works of Jo Ann Beard is a rich compilation of essays and stories blending interviews, personal anecdotes, and imagination. From the everyday dramas of school crushes and divorce to moments of suspense involving wild animals and home intrusions, Beard captures the complexities of living fully through love, grief, and wonder. This volume brings together works from her acclaimed collections The Boys of My Youth and Festival Days, showcasing her timeless and eloquent prose.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$4500
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

Ideal for readers who appreciate beautifully observed literary essays that blend poignant personal reflection with imaginative storytelling, and those interested in contemporary arts and culture writing.

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Jo Ann Beard, one of the most influential writers in America, illuminates the complexities of the human condition in this career-spanning collection

Jo Ann Beard, one of the most influential writers in America, illuminates the complexities of the human condition in this career-spanning collection

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Weaving a complex tapestry drawn from interviews, anecdotes, moments from Beard's own life, and sheer imagination, these extraordinary pieces embody the hospitality of spectacular writing: they are spaces you fall into and are reluctant to leave.

From the intimate drama of everyday life—school crushes, dog clinics, divorce—to the terror and excitement of a fox lurking by a campsite or a murderer in your home, Beard flawlessly distils what it means to live deeply as we hurtle through wonder and grief, love and heartbreak.

Bringing together pieces from Beard's first collection, The Boys of My Youth, and Festival Days, which was published two decades later, The Collected Works of Jo Ann Beard showcases Jo Ann Beard's impressive breadth, quiet brilliance, and timeless prose.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Jo Ann Beard is celebrated for her modest yet stellar literary voice, praised as a "poet-naturalist" by the New York Times Book Review. Her writing is noted for its intelligent, curious perspective and moving depth, described as "darkly moving" and at times "unbearably suspenseful." Critics highlight her generosity, compassion, and subtle humour, making her work a unique blend of observation and intuition.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781800817883

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 August 2023

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Serpent's Tail

Edition: Main

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 38.0mm

Width: 134.0mm

Height: 214.0mm

Weight: 459g

Pages: 448

About the Author

Jo Ann Beard is the author the collections Festival Days and The Boys of My Youth, published jointly in the United Kingdom as The Collected Works. She is also the author of the novel In Zanesville, and the novella Cheri. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Tin House, Best American Essays, and other magazines and anthologies. She has received a Whiting Foundation Award and nonfiction fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the New York Foundation for the Arts. In 2022, she received an American Academy of Arts and Letters 2022 Award in Literature. She teaches writing at Sarah Lawrence College.

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