Rick Bass Books

The collection features three short novels that explore profound themes of love, loss, and the struggle for identity. A woman reconnects with her roots on a Texas ranch, while a man embarks on a treacherous journey through a winter wilderness to find his wife. Additionally, a young oilman faces off against his aging mentor in a surreal setting where an ancient ocean lies buried in the Appalachian foothills. The narratives showcase the author's magical, passionate, and lyrical storytelling.

The narrative centers on a complex familial struggle between a father, Dudley, and his daughter, as they vie for the souls of two men, Matthew and Wallis. Dudley, a Texan obsessed with oil, has left a trail of ruined lives in his relentless pursuit. As Wallis begins to unravel the dark secrets of Dudley's past, the story unfolds against the backdrop of Swan Valley's vivid landscape and wildlife. Rick Bass's poetic prose brings depth to each character and their intertwined destinies, exploring themes of ambition, love, and destruction.

In this anthology, 26 writers illuminate the motivations at the heart of their creative lives in original essays that are as surprising and varied as their fiction. The contributors include Pat Conroy, Norman Mailor, Rick Moody and David Foster Wallace.

In this extraordinary fiction debut, Rick Bass establishes himself in the first rank of American writers. Rooted in the creative traditions of the South, his stories introduce us to men who belong— in spirit if not always in fact— to the American outback, to the deserts of Utah, the swamps of Mississippi, the remote ranges of the Rockies. Strong and inventive, funny and lyrical, these luminous tales stir the heart with wonder as they resonate with hard-won truths. With a title story that is “an American classic” (<i>Newsweek</i>), <i>The Watch</i> is a landmark in contemporary short fiction.

In dieser Feier des Winters in einem abgelegenen Tal mit dreißig Einwohnern, dem letzten Tal in Montana ohne Elektrizität, beschreibt Rick Bass die Wildheit und Freiheit der Talbewohner, die langsame Lebensweise, als ob sie vor einhundert Jahren lebten.