Bruce Ducker
Encyclopedia
Bruce Ducker is an American
novelist, short story writer, and poet.
Ducker has written eight novels and a volume of short stories. His poetry and short fiction appear in such journals as The New Republic
, The Yale Review
, Poetry
, Commonwealth
, The Southern Review and The Hudson Review
. Recent stories have appeared in The Missouri Review
and The Sewanee Review. He is also known as a writer of fly-fishing stories, and his work is carried by Gray's Sporting Journal and The Big Sky Journal. He received the Colorado Book Award
in 1995 for Lead Us Not Into Penn Station (also short-listed for the American Library Best Book Award) and was nominated for The Pulitzer Prize
for his 1994 novel Marital Assets. He was early recognized by the Knopf editor Gordon Lish
and featured in Lish's influential literary magazine, The Quarterly
.
His most recent books are his eighth novel, Dizzying Heights from Fulcrum, a comedy of manners set in Aspen which has drawn wide critical praise (and was a runner-up for the James Thurber Prize for American Humor
); and The Home Pool: Stories of Fly Fishing and Lesser Passions, with illustrations by Western artist Duke Beardsley from Stackpole Books.
Critics have called Ducker’s books “an evocative counterpart of loaded terms” (Boston Globe
), “understated, elegant prose” (Denver Post
), “written so allusively, so lyrically, so in tune with the quotidian” (L. A. Times
), and “vivid, compelling and beautifully crafted” (Dave Barry
). Though his books as a body are difficult to generalize, since they fall into several genres, his work often addresses the setting of the individual against the structures of wealth and business. Critics have compared his work to the writing of Louis Auchincloss
and John Marquand.
Ducker was born in New York, and was educated at Dartmouth College
(A.B., 1960) and Columbia University
(M.A., 1963; LL.B., 1964). He was admitted to the Colorado state bar in 1964. In 1979, he founded the Denver law firm Ducker, Montgomery, Lewis & Bess P. C. He has practiced corporate law most of his life, and has written law-review articles on business law. He has had a career in business as well as law, serving as general counsel and president of major companies, and serving as a director of several corporations. He has long been listed in Who's Who (America, World, American Law, and Arts), SuperLawyers and The Best Lawyers in America. Ducker, who in Colorado, is a jazz pianist and a licensed instrument pilot.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist, short story writer, and poet.
Ducker has written eight novels and a volume of short stories. His poetry and short fiction appear in such journals as The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
, The Yale Review
Yale Review
The Yale Review is the self-proclaimed oldest literary quarterly in the United States. It is published by Yale University.It was founded originally in 1819 as The Christian Spectator. At its origin it was published to support Evangelicalism, but over time began to publish more on history and...
, Poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
, Commonwealth
Commonwealth
Commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has sometimes been synonymous with "republic."More recently it has been used for fraternal associations of some sovereign nations...
, The Southern Review and The Hudson Review
The Hudson Review
The Hudson Review is a quarterly journal of literature and the arts. It was founded in 1947 in New York by William Ayers Arrowsmith, Joseph Deericks Bennett, and George Frederick Morgan. The first issue was introduced in the spring of 1948...
. Recent stories have appeared in The Missouri Review
The Missouri Review
The Missouri Review is a literary magazine. Founded in 1978 by the University of Missouri, it publishes fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction quarterly. With its open submission policy, The Missouri Review receives 12,000 manuscripts each year and is known for printing previously unpublished...
and The Sewanee Review. He is also known as a writer of fly-fishing stories, and his work is carried by Gray's Sporting Journal and The Big Sky Journal. He received the Colorado Book Award
Colorado Book Awards
The Colorado Book Awards are awards presented annually to Colorado authors, editors, illustrators, and photographers who exemplify the best in their category in the state during a given year. Awards have been presented since 1991. The awards are given by the Colorado Center for the Book, itself a...
in 1995 for Lead Us Not Into Penn Station (also short-listed for the American Library Best Book Award) and was nominated for The Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for his 1994 novel Marital Assets. He was early recognized by the Knopf editor Gordon Lish
Gordon Lish
Gordon Jay Lish is an American writer. As a literary editor, he championed many American authors, particularly Raymond Carver, Barry Hannah, Amy Hempel, and Richard Ford.-Early life and family:...
and featured in Lish's influential literary magazine, The Quarterly
The Quarterly
Gordon Lish founded and edited the avant garde literary magazine, The Quarterly in 1987. The Quarterly showcased the work of contemporary authors.Volume 1 of The Quarterly was published in the Spring of 1987...
.
His most recent books are his eighth novel, Dizzying Heights from Fulcrum, a comedy of manners set in Aspen which has drawn wide critical praise (and was a runner-up for the James Thurber Prize for American Humor
Thurber Prize for American Humor
The Thurber Prize for American Humor, named after American humorist James Thurber, recognizes outstanding contributions in humor writing. The prize is given out by the Thurber House. It was first awarded irregularly, but since 2004 has been bestowed annually....
); and The Home Pool: Stories of Fly Fishing and Lesser Passions, with illustrations by Western artist Duke Beardsley from Stackpole Books.
Critics have called Ducker’s books “an evocative counterpart of loaded terms” (Boston Globe
The Boston Globe
The Boston Globe is an American daily newspaper based in Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Globe has been owned by The New York Times Company since 1993...
), “understated, elegant prose” (Denver Post
The Denver Post
-Ownership:The Post is the flagship newspaper of MediaNews Group Inc., founded in 1983 by William Dean Singleton and Richard Scudder. MediaNews is today one of the nation's largest newspaper chains, publisher of 61 daily newspapers and more than 120 non-daily publications in 13 states. MediaNews...
), “written so allusively, so lyrically, so in tune with the quotidian” (L. A. Times
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times is a daily newspaper published in Los Angeles, California, since 1881. It was the second-largest metropolitan newspaper in circulation in the United States in 2008 and the fourth most widely distributed newspaper in the country....
), and “vivid, compelling and beautifully crafted” (Dave Barry
Dave Barry
David "Dave" Barry is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American author and columnist, who wrote a nationally syndicated humor column for The Miami Herald from 1983 to 2005. He has also written numerous books of humor and parody, as well as comedic novels.-Biography:Barry was born in Armonk, New York,...
). Though his books as a body are difficult to generalize, since they fall into several genres, his work often addresses the setting of the individual against the structures of wealth and business. Critics have compared his work to the writing of Louis Auchincloss
Louis Auchincloss
Louis Stanton Auchincloss was an American lawyer, novelist, historian, and essayist. He is best known as a prolific novelist who parlayed his firsthand knowledge into dozens of finely wrought books exploring the private lives of America's East Coast patrician class...
and John Marquand.
Ducker was born in New York, and was educated at Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
(A.B., 1960) and Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
(M.A., 1963; LL.B., 1964). He was admitted to the Colorado state bar in 1964. In 1979, he founded the Denver law firm Ducker, Montgomery, Lewis & Bess P. C. He has practiced corporate law most of his life, and has written law-review articles on business law. He has had a career in business as well as law, serving as general counsel and president of major companies, and serving as a director of several corporations. He has long been listed in Who's Who (America, World, American Law, and Arts), SuperLawyers and The Best Lawyers in America. Ducker, who in Colorado, is a jazz pianist and a licensed instrument pilot.
See also
- Gordon LishGordon LishGordon Jay Lish is an American writer. As a literary editor, he championed many American authors, particularly Raymond Carver, Barry Hannah, Amy Hempel, and Richard Ford.-Early life and family:...
(Bruce Ducker is a former protégé of Lish)