Theyre starting to get excited about adam langers next book here in chicago. Nov 04, 2009 in my previous books, crossing california, the washington story and ellington boulevard, this approach didnt pose too many challenges to write about sexstarved jewish teens in chicago or a showtunewhistling manhattan real estate broker or a dog named after jazz flautist herbie mann, i relied mostly on my old lp. The washington story book by adam langer thriftbooks. Cheer for them to attain their desires and dreams, and to avoid pain and sorrow. You may need to be a religious reader of galleycat to get all the jokes in adam langers publishing industry satire, but. My first novel, crossing california, was published by riverhead books in 2004, the washington story in august, 2005. Spinning a complex story around the mundane yet emotionally charged event of purchasing an apartment, ellington boulevard is a very different sort of book from. Adam langer more than a year and a half has passed since jill wasserstrom tried to catch up to muley wills in west rogers park. I would write a nonfiction book about the uncomfortable relationship between. With van johnson, patricia neal, louis calhern, sidney blackmer. That dirk jamison managed to survive the events he describes in his memoir is an impressive feat. Dec 20, 2017 the washington story 2005, adam langer.
The collection contains drafts of langers published books, showing the evolution of his work on the novels crossing california, the washington story. Throughout the pages of this novel, langers love not only for his characters, but the human condition, invests his sequel novel with a dignity and authority cloaked adroitly in humor and satire. In the washington story, adam langer has given us a world full of characters to cheer for. Clarinetist ike morphy, his dog herbie mann, and a pair of pigeons who roost on his air conditioner are about to be evicted from their apartment on west 106th street, also known as duke ellington boulevard. The washington story is set over a fiveyear period and the structure of the novel is inspired by the five books of moses, which are also, in part, a story of diaspora. Chicago public library, harold washington library center, special collections, chicago authors and publishing collection. See all books authored by adam langer, including crossing california, and the salinger contract, and more on. Langer grew up in the west rogers park neighborhood of chicago, where he attended daniel boone elementary school.
In the washington story, adam langer revisits his extraordinary cast of characters from crossing california, each inextricably linked by love, betrayal, reunions, sex, death, and rebirthand all holding out hope that their dreams are worth pursuing, as they come of age in a very particular time in american history. Salingerto a sinister collector in chicago adam langer, the narrator of this deft and wideranging novel by the author of the same name, tells the intertwining tales of two writers navigating a plot neither one of them could. Adam langer author of crossing california goodreads. Born and raised in chicago, he now lives in new york. Publisher riverheadputnam, june 2004 hilarious and poignant, ambitious and tremendously fun, crossing california is a novel about two generations of family and friendship in chicago in the 1970s.
In this tightly packed sequel, langer revisits the same west rogers park neighborhood in chicago where we first met a fascinating cast of characters, from high schoolers muley scott wills, jill and michelle wasserstrom, and hillel levy to. View adam langers profile on linkedin, the worlds largest professional community. Salingerto a sinister collector in chicago adam langer, the narrator of this deft and wideranging novel by the author of the same name, tells the intertwining tales of two writers navigating a plot neither one of them could have ever imagined. The novel concerns assimilation, the place of the jew within the expanding universe, the relationships between jews and africanamericans, and those among conservative, orthodox. Aug 18, 2005 adam langer would be embarrassed if critics were to read too much into his novel, yet the washington story compels readers to ponder several serious themes. Joe gresham is a hardworking but reticent congressman from massachusetts. In the book he recounts the bonus march of 1932, when 20,000 world war i veterans marched on. March 2008 shaun manning fiction ellington boulevard by adam langer.
The salinger contract by adam langer overdrive rakuten. Adam langer author born and raised in chicago, adam langer is the author of the novels ellington boulevard, crossing california, and the washington story. A novel of literary crimes and misdemeanors, the salinger contract will delight anyone who loves a fastpaced story told with humor, wit, and intrigue. His characters yearn for connection, community and coherence but often encounter chaos, confusion and conflict. Books go search hello select your address best sellers.
Im not sure how much of this is new information, but it looks like the new book, washington story, is a sequel to his debut, crossing california. Topics included the differences between writing fiction and nonfiction, historical. In addition to his novels, crossing california, ellington boulevard, the washington story and. Langers most recent novel is the thieves of manhattan. Adam langer is a journalist, author, playwright and filmmaker. Langer paints the washington story on a canvas much larger than west rogers park, the setting for his debut novel. In it, jill wasserstrom and muley wills, the young heroes of the. Author adam langers complete list of books and series in order, with the latest releases, covers, descriptions and availability. This is a signed first edition of langers sequel to the bestselling crossing california, set in chicagos rogers park neighborhood in the 1980s. Adam langer, author of the muchbeloved chicago novel crossing california, returns with a book about new yorks cast of eccentric personalities. He has written plays, films, criticism and a memoir, but most of the time, he writes novels.
Sep 17, 20 an enthralling literary mystery that connects some of the worlds most famous authorsfrom norman mailer and truman capote to b. Written for both filmamakers and film buffs, the film festival guide delivers the facts on more than 500 film festivals in the united states and around the world, including where and when to go, what to bring, and insider information on who attends and why. The washington story signed, adam langer first edition. Adam langer talked about his book my fathers bonus march. His work has been featured most recently on nprs selected shorts, in the best mens stage monologues 2000, and the best womens stage monologues 2000, as well as in the chicago readers fiction issue, and in the literary magazine salt hill. Adam langer would be embarrassed if critics were to read too much into his novel, yet the washington story compels readers to ponder several serious themes. The washington story by adam langer, paperback barnes.
Chicago highschool sweethearts jill and muley, their families, and their friends share triumphs and despair over the course of five years that are marked by such events as the rise of mikhail gorbachev, the explosion of the space shuttle challenger, and the return of halleys comet. These immersive, funny novels follow three jewish families in west rogers park from the late 1970s to the late 1980s. Windy city offers a window into the heart of america the. Here is a list of the washington posts best books of the year 2010. Each chapter of langers latest the washington story, 2005, etc. Adam langer author born and raised in chicago, adam langer is the author of the novels crossing california, the washington story, ellington boulevard, and the thieves of manhattan, and the memoir my fathers bonus march. See the complete profile on linkedin and discover adams. Born and raised in chicago, adam langer is the author of the novels ellington boulevard, crossing california, and the washington story. That he has managed to write about them with such frankness and good humor is astounding. About the author born and raised in chicago, adam langer is the author of the novels crossing california, the washington story, ellington boulevard, and the thieves of manhattan, and the memoir.
Adam langer, author, crossing california and the washington story. Adam langer is a novelist, journalist and playwright. Two of his adolescent characters are collegebound, and langer follows them to new york city and poughkeepsie, yet chicago remains the northern star in their internal compass. Adam langer read at the west side ymca writers voice along with the actress anne jackson on september 8, 2005. Like adam langers previous two novels, crossing california and washington story, ellington boulevard is very much rooted in a specific place at a precise moment in time. Adam langer born 1967 is an american author best known for his novel crossing california.
Adam langer born 1967 is an american author best known for his novel crossing california, which was published in 2004. Adam langer culture and magazine editor forward magazine. Adam langer books list of books by author adam langer. The novel concerns assimilation, the place of the jew within the expanding universe, the relationships between jews and african. Publisher riverheadputnam, august 2005 but muley was walking fast now on the slippery sidewalk and jill would have to cross california quickly if she wanted to catch him from crossing california, january 20, 1981 more than a year and a half has passed since jill wasserstrom tried to catch up to muley wills in west.
Literature archival collections chicago public library. Born and raised in chicago, adam langer is the author of the novels crossing california, the washington story, ellington boulevard, and the thieves of manhattan, and the memoir my fathers. Returning to chicago, he worked for a little over a decade as an editor, nonfiction author, playwright, theater director, and film producer. Reporter alice kingsley arrives in washington, dc hired by gilbert nunnally, a tabloid columnist and cynic who wants alice to uncover a ripe political scandal.
Once may have been an honest mistake, but twice, it must be a trend. Buy the washington story book online at best prices in india on. He attended evanston township high school from 19801984 and graduated from vassar college in 1988. By his own estimation, jude keffyhorn, the skateboarding teen drug abuser turned cleanliving proselytizer in eleanor hendersons first. Now, they are high school students in love, but will their relationship survive as. In 1979, california avenue, in chicagos west rogers park neighborhood, separates the upper middleclass jewish families from the mostly middleclass jewish residents on the east of the. The story of the thieves of manhattan was born in the back of a limousine. Born and raised in chicago, adam langer is the author of the novels crossing california, the washington story, ellington boulevard, and the thieves of manhattan, and the memoir my fathers bonus march. His books include the novels crossing california, the washington story, ellington boulevard and the thieves of manhattan, as well as the memoir my fathers bonus march.
New books by adam langer, ann weisgarber and others the. Sep 17, 20 a novel of literary crimes and misdemeanors, the salinger contract will delight anyone who loves a fastpaced story told with humor, wit, and intrigue. The salinger contract hardcover the elliott bay book. Cindy spiegel, who edited my first two novels, is the editor on this one as well. For those of us who woefully turned the last page of crossing california, adam langers masterful debut, the washington story offers a gratifying, if not lengthy, reunion with the people and places whose stories so engaged readers the first time around. His characters yearn for connection, community and coherence but. Adam langer is the author of the novels, the washington story, crossing california, and ellington boulevard. Jun 26, 2011 by adam langer june 26, 2011 by his own estimation, jude keffyhorn, the skateboarding teen drug abuser turned cleanliving proselytizer in eleanor hendersons first novel, ten thousand.
Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. The salinger contract adam langer 9781453297902 netgalley. In 1979, california avenue, in chicagos west rogers park neighborhood, separates the upper middleclass jewish families from the mostly middleclass jewish residents on the east. Clarinetist ike morphy, his dog herbie mann, and a pair of pigeons who roost on his air conditioner are about to be evicted from their apartment on west 106th street, also known as. Buy the washington story book online at low prices in. An enthralling literary mystery that connects some of the worlds most famous authorsfrom norman mailer and truman capote to b.