Ann subsequently remarried and moved to connecticut with their remaining two children. Richard fords independence day is a masterpiece of a. Independence day takes place in the fictional town of haddam, new jersey, as well as in upstate new york and connecticut during the year 1988. New orleans, he says is noisy and crowded and not a good place to be a novelist. His novel wildlife was adapted into a 2018 film of the same name. 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. For some richard fords second bascombe book will be too introspective, too slow moving. He is, alas, in late maturity, that time in his professional life wherein technical mastery and a defined voice no longer carry the day. First trade edition of fords pulitzer prizewinning novel, inscribed on the title page.
Frank bascombe is no longer a sportswriter, yet hes still living in new jersey, where he now sells real estate. Read free book excerpt from independence day by richard ford, page 1 of 4. Frank bascombehas become our unlikely virgil, guiding us through the modern american purgatory of bigbox stores along frontage roads, slowly decaying town squares and leafy, secretharboring suburbs. The author of the frank bascombe tetralogy beginning with 1986s the sportswriter, through 1995s pulitzer prizewinning independence day, 2006s lay of the land and 2014s let me be. Independence day won the pulitzer prize and penfaulkner award for fiction in 1996, becoming the first novel ever to. But frank is happy enough in his work and pursuing various civic and entrepreneurial sidelines. Frank and his wife, ann, divorced in the aftermath of the stresses caused by the death of their first son. Frank is now working in real estate and has come to terms with his status as a divorced man, although he finds it difficult to accept his wife anns remarriage, and worries about how to develop and sustain relationships with his children. For gretchen, wendy and for steve with the happy pleasure of meeting you all. When we last saw frank bascombe, the angstridden antihero of richard fords highly praised 1986 novel, the sportswriter, he was 38 and about to cast himself adrift. Independence day by richard ford takes place primarily in the fictional town of haddam, new jersey in 1988. 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. When we last saw frank bascombe, the angstridden antihero of richard ford s highly praised 1986 novel, the sportswriter, he was 38 and about to cast himself adrift. Author richard ford says let me be frank about aging and.
Richard ford born february 16, 1944 is an american novelist and short story writer. Boards are tan with gold lettering on a navy blue cloth spine. Octavo, original half blue cloth, original dust jacket. The main character, frank bascombe, is a middleaged divorced realtor. Independence day, the second bascombe novel, won both the pulitzer prize and the pen faulkner award.
In 2001 he received the penmalamud award for excellence in short fiction. Independence day is a 1995 novel by richard ford and the sequel to ford s 1986 novel the sportswriter. For all its technical virtuosity, fords chummy narrative fails to transcend its rather tired genre. His bestknown works include the novels the sportswriter, its awardwinning sequel independence day, and the widelyanthologized collection of short stories rock springs. Frank bascombe is no longer a sportswriter, yet hes still living in haddam, new jersey, where he now sells real estate. His promise as a fiction writerstill dwelled upon at lengthcan be the. Independence day is the firstperson narrative of frank bascombe, a sportswriter turned realestate agent. The downward trajectory of bascombes career evolved in an ironic counterpoint to fords success. Richard ford, a novelist and short story writer, is best known for a trilogy of prizewinning books featuring frank bascombe, a middleaged everyman from suburban new jersey. 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. Independence day 1995 the lay of the land 2006 canada 2012 biography. Buy independence day by richard ford from waterstones today. Author richard ford says let me be frank about aging and dying the pulitzer prizewinning writers new book centers on frank bascombe, a 68yearold man dealing with his aging body, a dying. Independence day takes place about seven years past the events of that book.
Hes still divorced, though his exwife, to his dismay, has remarried and moved along with their children to connecticut. He has published eight novels and four collections of stories, including the sportswriter, independence day, the lay of the land and the new york times bestseller, canada. Independence day first edition signed richard ford. No longer a writer of any kind, frank sells real estate in haddam, new jersey, during the boom period of the 80s. Novelist richard ford brings back his most enduring. 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 by richard ford, first edition abebooks. His promise as a fiction writerstill dwelled upon at lengthcan be the only. But ford had found the process of writing independence day, begun in 1991 and published in 1995, exacting. Independence day by richard ford first edition points.
In richard ford returns in the pulitzer prizewinning independence day 1995, in which he is divorced and leading an empty life until he spends an emotional and spiritual fourth of july weekend with his son. Independence day, the novel that won richard ford the pulitzer prize and penfaulkner, is a bittersweet, albeit short, journey through the midlife critical week in the life of frank bascombe. The novel continues the odyssey of selfdiscovery on. Unavoidably confessional, this backslapping fictional memoir by the author of a piece of my heart and the ultimate good luck boasts of its dirty realist conceit. Richard ford has 143 books on goodreads with 168498 ratings. Richard ford books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. Richard ford, born february 16, 1944, jackson, mississippi, u. Ford, richard independence day 1st edition 1st printing ebay. Signed by the author on th condition very fine in a fine dust jacket.
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. In some respects, independence day is the best book ive ever read. Ford grabbed the pulitzer prize for fiction with independence day and became popular for short stories and as an editor. To find the market value for this book, click on the prefilled ebay, abebooks, or biblio links to the right and look for comparable listings that have all of these first edition points. The first page provides details for marketing the book, due out in june 1995 with an initial press run of 50,000 copies. Independence day is the second of richard fords frank bascombe novels, set several years after the sportswriter. Signed 1st edition 1st printing richard ford independence. Novelist richard ford on ireland, lost friends and his. I found the novel moving and insightful even if frank is a frustrating protagonist at. Book richard ford for lectures, readings and conversations. Independence day won both the pulitzer prize and the penfaulkner prizethe first book to receive both simultaneously. First edition points to identify independence day by. For some richard ford s second bascombe book will be too introspective, too slow moving. Completing the bascombe trilogy is the lay of the land 2006, in which bascombe, now a suburban real.
Richard ford is simply brilliant at capturing the uncapturable. Independence day, by richard ford the new york times. It was followed by the lay of the land 2006 and let me be frank with you 2014. 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.
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