A comingofage story narrated by gus orviston, a high school. Mar 08, 2006 the river why by david james duncan listener john recommends this novel, a fishermans voyage of selfdiscovery. But in the bed of a river, where the rest of the tree has been stripped. The river why ranks thirtyfifth on the san francisco chronicle list of the 20th centurys 100 best books. He is the winner of many awards and honors, including a lannan. A few words with david james duncan, whose the river why is being staged by bookit in seattle. I grew up in east portland, which is mostly working class. Though he now lives in montana on an upper tributary of the columbia, oregon rivers run through the current of his fiction.
My introduction to david james duncan came through the river why, which provides a new twist on the coming of age novel. Duncan has written a collection of short stories, river teeth 1996, isbn. While it starts off as a fishing story, the river why turns into the story of a young person struggling to come to grips with the modern world. David james duncan born 1952 is an american novelist and essayist, best known for his two bestselling novels, the river why 1983 and the brothers k 1992. Gus caught his first fish at the age of four and now, in his 20s, he has bought a cabin on the oregon coast so he can fish 247. Each explores the world of transience and temporary living through a world of checkins, parking lots, payphones, addiction, abandonment, and the kind of yearning that can only come in the glow of a motel tv long after midnight. At the heart of duncan s tales are characters undergoing the complex and violent process of transformation, with results both painful and wondrous. A new york times notable book once in a great while a writer comes along who can truly capture the drama and passion of the life of a family.
The brothers k remains one of americas most engaging baseball novels. Duncans reflections on rivers, salmon, the lands of the west and the earth itself spill off the page with wit, wisdom, and occasional fury. Mar 17, 2018 his second novel, the brothers k, followed the themes developed in the river why but on a much larger canvas as it chronicles the chance familys fortunes through a turbulent era in american history. David james duncan primary author only author division. In 1995, duncan published a collection of autobiographical stories and environmental essays, river teeth.
Another quintessentially american saga from oregon writer duncan, moving from the metaphysics of fishing in his first novel the river why, 1983 to an exploration here of bushleague baseball and the perils of seventhday adventism during the vietnam era. His work has appeared in numerous national anthologies, including best american essays twice, best american sportswriting, and best american spiritual writing five times. Discover book depositorys huge selection of david james duncan books online. Explore james duncan davidsons 344 photos on flickr. Widely respected for his materful short stories and essays, david has published three collections. David james duncan, author of the novel the river why and the collection river teeth, is just such a writer. River teeth by david james duncan overdrive rakuten.
A march 1993 interview of david james duncan, by daniel lamberton. Rivers have always fascinated oregon author david james duncan, who was born in east portland in 1952. This acclaimed book by david james duncan is available at in several formats for your ereader. David james duncan is a father, a fly fisher, a practitioner of what he calls direct, smallscale compassionactivism, and the author of the novels the river why and the brothers k, the story collection river teeth, and the nonfiction collection my story as told by water. Many of the same themes are explored in this collection of writing. David james duncan is a father, a fly fisher, a practitioner of what he calls direct, smallscale compassionactivism, and the author of the novels the river why and the brothers k, the story collection river teeth, the nonfiction collection my story as told by water, and most recently god laughs and plays. River teeth by david james duncan book cover, description, publication history. The river why ranks thirtyfifth on the san francisco chronicle list of the 20th centurys 100 best books of the american west.
David james duncan is the author of two novels, the river why and the brothers k, and river teeth, a joint memoir and collection of stories. There comes a river, whose current is time, that does a similar sculpting in the mind. David james duncan, born in portland, oregon, in 1952, is a writer whose works include my story as told by water, the brothers k, the river why, and river teeth. David james duncan, signed abebooks passion for books. Wellcrafted vignettes and slightly overblown stories combine in a first collection from the muchpraised author of the river why 1982 and the brothers k 1992. The worlds future depends on this consciousness, and you will find it shining forth from every page. Mar 29, 2016 david james duncan is the author of the novels the river why and the brothers k, the story collection river teeth, and two nonfiction collections. In his passionate, luminous novels, david james duncan has won the devo.
David james duncan is the author of the brothers k, an american library association best books award winner and a new york times notable book, and river teeth, a memoir and collection of stories. The top city of residence is richmond, followed by virginia beach. Confessions, druidic rants, reflections, birdwatchings, fishstalkings, visions, songs and prayers refracting light, from. Facebook is showing information to help you better understand the purpose of a page. River teeth isbn 9780553378276 pdf epub david james. David james duncan is currently considered a single author. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author.
In his book of essays from 2002 entitled my story as told by water duncan tells some stories with a portland area spin about his youthful explorations in the area. David james duncan s first novel has gained an increasingly wide audience over the yearssome might even call it a following. And in reading this book you may well discover your own mystic consciousness. His work deals with environmental issues, spiritual problems and flyfishing. Another inspiration for hidden hydrology is the writing of david james duncan author of a couple of my favorite books, the river why and the brothers k amongst the best. In his passionate, luminous novels, david james duncan has won the devotion of countless critics and readers, earning comparisons to harper lee, tom robbins, and j. Equally affecting are his nonfiction reminiscences, the river teeth of the title. The brothers k on apple books apple books apple apple. River teeth,david duncan,vgvg,hb,1995,first,signed m ebay. On the northwest streams i know best, the breakdown of even a five. Papers artifact collection oversize items duncan website twitter wikipedia.
My introduction to david james duncan came through the river. In his passionate, luminous novels, david james duncan has won the devotion of countless critics and readers, earning comparisons to harper lee, tom. The river why ranks thirtyfifth on the san francisco chronicle list of the 20th more about david james duncan. From the author of the river why, a collection of writings, not especially about fishing, but with a river running through it. And in the brothers k he tells a story both striking and in its originality and poignant in its universality. Finally in trade paperback, complementing bantams new release of river teeth and our consistently bestselling edition of the river why, here is the brothers k, a. When an ancient streamside tree finally falls into its bordering river, it drowns as would a human, and. River teeth in his passionate, luminous novels, david james duncan has won the devotion of countless critics and readers, earning comparisons to harper lee, tom robbins, and j. The book led me unknowing to the essence of the stories opening up a path for me to actually experience at least one of its purposes. Buy a cheap copy of the river why book by david james duncan. Stories and writings by duncan, david james and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. The river why is a 1983 novel by david james duncan. When an ancient streamside tree finally falls into its bordering river, it drowns as would a human, and begins to disintegrate with surprising speed.
Jun 19, 2016 michael pietsch has published a new edition of david james duncans the river why more than three decades after he failed to acquire the book as a young editor. See actions taken by the people who manage and post content. Both novels received the pacific northwest booksellers award. Buy a cheap copy of the brothers k book by david james duncan. To read river teeth is to have a strangers recollections loom up out of vagary and namelessness, and to grip you as if they were your own. It is a wonderful, and wonderfully funny, account of a young mans spiritual. Just in time for book it repertory theatres 20th anniversary season, the company has adapted david james duncan s 1983 the river why for the stage. In river teeth, a uniquely gifted american writer blends two forms. Duncan has written a collection of short stories, river teeth 1996, both involve fly fishing, baseball, and family.
River teeth explores the beauty of life through glimpses of nature, family, and human spirituality. Both received the pacific northwest booksellers award. His work has appeared in numerous national anthologies, including best american essays twice, best. David s classic novel, the river why, will appear in a new eiditon from littlebrown in 2015. In his passionate, luminous novels, the river why and the brothers k, david james duncan has won the. The remarkable chance family consists of six precocious children orbiting at various altitudes and velocities around their equally. The brothers k by david james duncan overdrive rakuten. The brothers k was a new york times notable book in 1992 and won a best books award from the american library association. The river why study guide contains a comprehensive summary and analysis of the river why by david james duncan. Now duncan distills his remarkable powers of observation into this unique collection of short stories a. River teeth is a richly woven and intricate collection of short works. The average james duncan is around 60 years of age with around 40% falling in to the age group of 5160. River teeth book by david james duncan thriftbooks.
River teeth quotes by david james duncan goodreads. The river why by david james duncan overdrive rakuten. River teeth by david james duncan fantastic fiction. David james duncan is the author of the novels the river why and the brothers k, the story collection river teeth, and two nonfiction collections. Duncans first book, the river why, after being rejected by all the same publishers as norman macleans a river runs through it, was finally published by the sierra club and holds the distinction as the first work of fiction published by that press. The river why and the brothers k both won the pacific northwest booksellers award. The river why and the brothers k both won the pacific northwest booksellers.
From the very beginning, river teeth has been dedicated to the simple premise that good writing counts and that facts matter. David james duncan born 1952 is an american novelist and essayist, best known for his two bestselling novels, the river why 1983 and the brothers. Duncan is widely renowned as an activist and expert fly fisher. See all books authored by david james duncan, including the river why, and the brothers k, and more on. Duncan is my favorite author and this is my favorite book. David james duncan is the author of the river why and the brothers k, and a collection of memoir and short stories, river teeth. In his passionate, luminous novels, david james duncan has won the devotion of countless critics and readers, earning comparisons to harper lee, tom robbins, and. River teeth author david james duncan publisher doubleday dateprinted. David james duncan is the author of two novels, the river why and the brothers k, and a collection of stories and essays titled river teeth. Sa gus orvistons parents have nothing but fishing on their brains. His most recent book, my story as told by water, won the western states book award and was nominated for the 2001 national book award. He is also the author of the brothers k, river teeth and my story as told by. Exploring the meaning of watershed health a long term ecological reflections workshop. He is the winner of many awards and honors, including a lannan fellowship, the.
River teeth a conceit that writer david james duncan draws from in his own writing life and traces in the opening essay of our first issue. The best thing to come out of oregon since nike running shoes. Now duncan distills his remarkable powers of observation into this unique collection of short stories and essays. David james duncan books list of books by author david. I was a nothing a random configuration of molecules. My grandparents came from trout lake, washington, which had quite an adventist enclave. The river why by david james duncan nook book ebook. The brothers k is an american library association best books awardwinner and a new york times notable book. River teeth are the remains of oldgrowth trees that fall into northwestern rivers, and. Duncan comes out swinging in the early pages, writing eloquently of his notion of certain. There comes a time, thanks to rivers, when a few beautiful old teeth are all that remain of the twohundredfoot spires of life we call trees. The brothers k was a new york times notable book in 1992 and won a best. An introduction there is in every log a series of crossgrained, pitchhardened masses where branches once joined the trees trunk.
Buy a cheap copy of river teeth book by david james duncan. And in the brothers k he tells a story both striking. Author david james duncan lives with his family in western montana, where he is working on a novel that combines his loves for asian wisdom traditions and the land and people of the. Both of your books, the river why and the brothers k, are set in the pacific northwest.
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