John Gardner
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English
Description
Four fantastical stories filled with wit and wisdom, humor and heart In this wonderful collection of fairy tales, John Gardner turns a timeless tradition into a topsy-turvy whirlwind. In the title story, a kindly simpleton unwittingly becomes sovereign of an avian race. A wicked witch seeks a new profession - and, thus, identity - in "The Witch's Wish." In "The Pear Tree," a sweet young boy is rewarded for his good deeds. And "The Gnome and the Dragon"...
Author
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English
Description
John Gardner's New York Times bestselling, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning metafictional novel centering on the tumultuous relationship of two elderly siblings. James is a cantankerous and conservative seventy-two-year-old who has spent his life caring for the animals on his farm. His widowed older sister, Sally, has strong liberal ideals and a propensity for debate. When Sally's bankruptcy forces her to move in with her brother, their...
Author
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English
Description
An inspired book of short stories that explores the profound relationship between life and art. While mourning the loss of his son in the Vietnam War, an Italian chef reflects on the importance of art for future generations. An American boy retreats inward after he kills his younger brother in a farming accident, finding solace in classical music and a friendship with his teacher. Placing the artist at the center of his stories, Gardner produces a...
Author
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English
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A mythological masterpiece about dedication and the disintegration of romantic affection. In this magnificent epic poem, John Gardner renders his interpretation of the ancient story of Jason and Medeia. Confined in the palace of King Creon, and longing to return to his rightful kingdom Iolcus, Jason asks his wife, the sorceress Medeia, to use her powers of enchantment to destroy the tyrant King Pelias. Out of love she acquiesces, only to find that...
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English
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John Gardner's classic exploration of the creative processes and career paths of modern fiction writers. In this essential guide, John Gardner advises the aspiring fiction author on such topics as the value of creative writing workshops, the developmental stages of literary growth, and the inevitable experience of writer's block. Drawn from his two decades of experience in creative writing, Gardner balances his compassion for his students with his...
Author
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English
Description
Gardner's final novel: a delicate tapestry of literary genres that create a wonderfully mysterious and ambitious narrative. As Peter Mickelsson's brilliant career as a professor at Brown University winds down, he suffers from alcoholism and is on the brink of divorce. Seeking a new start, Mickelsson moves to an old farmhouse in the Pennsylvania countryside to take a position at Bingham University. But when mysterious supernatural events begin to occur,...
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English
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John Gardner's sweeping portrait of the collision of opposing philosophical perspectives in 1960s America, centering on the appearance of a mysterious stranger in a small upstate New York town. One summer day, a countercultural drifter known only as the Sunlight Man appears in Batavia, New York. Jailed for painting the word "LOVE" across two lanes of traffic, the Sunlight Man encounters Fred Clumly, a sixty-four-year-old town sheriff. Throughout the...
Author
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English
Description
A passionate portrait of a family's attempts to understand the meaning behind personal tragedy. When Professor James Chandler learns he is dying from leukemia, he moves his family to his childhood home in Batavia, New York. There, surrounded by loved ones - both new and old - the immediacy of Chandler's illness strikes them with new force, and the limitations of his mortality become painfully clear. Rich and moving, and imbued with insight, The Resurrection...