John Simmons Barth was an American novelist and short-story writer, renowned for the postmodern and metafictional quality of his work. His narratives often explore the boundaries of storytelling, playfully disrupting conventions and engaging readers in a complex interplay of form and content. Barth delved into themes of authorial self-awareness, the nature of fiction itself, and the concept of literary exhaustion. His innovative approach to writing, masterfully balancing intellectual wordplay with compelling plotting, has left an indelible mark on contemporary literature.
Proving himself yet again a master of every form, Barth conquers in his latest the ruminative short essay—“jeux d’esprits,” as Barth describes them. These mostly one-page tidbits pay homage to Barth’s literary influences while retaining his trademark self-consciousness and willingness to play.
A National Book Award winner offers his most inventive novel to date. Journalist Simon Behler finds himself in the house of Sinbad the Sailor after being washed ashore during a sea-going adventure. Over the course of six evenings, the two take turns recounting their voyages in a brilliantly entertaining weave of stories within stories. "Filled with white nights and golden days . . . lyrical, fresh and sprightly."--Washington Post.
Exploring themes of existentialism and the nature of thought, the narrative follows a character reintroduced from Barth's earlier work, delving into the intricacies of life, memory, and the passage of time. The story weaves a rich tapestry of introspection and philosophical musings, characteristic of Barth's unique style, while offering new insights and connections to his broader literary universe.
From one of our most celebrated masters, a touching, comic, deeply humane collection of linked stories about surprising developments in a gated community ?I find myself inclined to set down for whomever, before my memory goes kaput altogether, some account of our little community, in particular of what Margie and I consider to have been its most interesting hour: the summer of the Peeping Tom.” Something has disturbed the comfortably retired denizens of a pristine Florida-style gated community in Chesapeake Bay country. In the dawn of the new millennium and the evening of their lives, these empty nesters discover that their tidy enclave can be as colorful, shocking, and surreal as any of John Barth's fictional locales. From the high jinks of a toga party to marital infidelities, a baffling suicide pact, and the sudden, apocalyptic destruction of the short-lived development, Barth brings mordant humor and compassion to the lives of characters we all know well. From ?one of the most prodigally gifted comic novelists writing in English today” (Newsweek), The Development is John Barth at his most accessible and sympathetic best.
Set in 2045, a newspaper columnist embarks on a perilous assignment to investigate Northland, a segregated city in the U.S. with a "White Christians Only" policy. Tasked with uncovering its secrets, David Cohen navigates the complexities of a society that has evaded the law to maintain its exclusivity. As he interviews the city's inhabitants and leaders, he grapples with his growing feelings for his assistant, Connie, all while racing against time to gather evidence that could expose Northland's true agenda.
Exploring the themes of heroism, sex, and death, a trio of novellas includes "Tell Me," about a young undergraduate's initiation into the mysteries of love, life, and the heroic cycle.
"Training Skiing" is a guide for children and adolescents aspiring to excel in alpine skiing. It addresses training methods, racing techniques, and the significance of physical fitness. With the help of characters like the "little Snowman" and "Skitty," young skiers receive tips, exercises, and insights on health and nutrition.
"Here are tales of aging, time, possibility, and relationships. And in typically Barthian fashion, they are framed by the narration of a veteran writer, Graybard, and his flirtatious, insouciant muse, WYSIWIG (What You See Is What You Get). During the eleven days that follow September 11, 2001, Graybard and WYSIWYG debate the meaning and relevance of writing and storytelling in the wake of disaster, or TEOTWAW(A)KI - The End Of The World As We (Americans) Knew it."--Jacket
Exploring the rivalry between an older novelist and a young hypertext writer, this novel delves into the evolving landscape of literature. The older author, preparing his final work, faces off against his ambitious protégé, who seeks to challenge the established norms. Their interactions highlight the cultural shifts between print and electronic fiction, as well as the dynamics of mentorship amidst the backdrop of modernism and postmodernism. With humor and insight, Barth critiques his own legacy in contemporary fiction.
The Floating Opera and The End Of The Road are John Barth's first two novels. Their relationship to each other is evident not only in their ribald subject matter but in the eccentric characters and bitterly humorous tone of the narratives. Both concern strange, consuming love triangles and the destructive effect of an overactive intellect on the emotions. Separately they give two very different views of a universal human drama. Together they illustrate the beginnings of an illustrious career.