Carol Edgarian
Encyclopedia
Carol Edgarian is an American author, editor, and publisher. She is known for her novels, Rise the Euphrates
and Three Stages of Amazement
. She is also co-founder, editor and publisher of Narrative Magazine
, the world's first and foremost online literary magazine.
in Andover, Massachusetts, where she graduated cum laude, receiving the Kingsbury Prize and the Pamela Weidenman Prize in Art. She received her B.A. in English with High Honors from Stanford University
in 1984.
She moved to San Francisco soon after college and worked as a freelance copywriter, speechwriter, and PR consultant for various high tech and retail companies, including Levi Strauss and the Mayfield Fund.
She entered the national literary scene with a high-profile debut novel Rise the Euphrates
(1994). In its review The Washington Post cited Rise the Euphrates as “a book whose generosity of spirit, intelligence, humanity, and finally ambition are what literature ought to be and rarely is today—daring, heartbreaking, and affirmative, giving order and sense to our random lives.” The Miami Herald called the novel “a stunning debut” and Mademoiselle magazine called Edgarian’s writing “so good it can raise the hairs on your neck.”
Set in San Francisco in 2009 and at the start of the financial crisis, Three Stages of Amazement
(2011) is both a love story and social chronicle of turbulent America. The novel reached the New York Times bestseller list in its first week of publication, O Magazine chose it as a Top Pick, and Indiebound selected it as a Pick of the Month. Three Stages of Amazement
was called “furiously compelling” by Janet Maslin at the New York Times, “superbly crafted, skillfully plotted” by The Washington Post, and “generous and graceful and true” by O Magazine.
Among her other works of fiction and non-fiction is The Writer’s Life: Intimate Thoughts on Work, Love, Inspiration, and Fame which she co-edited with Tom Jenks (Vintage). Edgarian has also written for numerous publications including Vogue
, Travel & Leisure, and W
.
In 2003 Edgarian co-founded Narrative Magazine
. Narrative is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the literary arts in the digital age, and publishes new fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays, and features by both well-known authors, such as Tobias Wolff
, Ann Beattie
, and Joyce Carol Oates
, and the best rising talents. Narrative was named by Esquire “the gold standard of online magazines.”
Rise the Euphrates
Rise the Euphrates is a novel by Carol Edgarian. It concerns three generations of Armenian American women living in Memorial, Connecticut during the twentieth century. Rather than focus on a central character, the book contains the story of three generations: the grandmother Casard, her daughter...
and Three Stages of Amazement
Three Stages of Amazement (novel)
Three Stages of Amazement is a novel by Carol Edgarian. The novel reached the New York Times bestseller list in its first week of publication, O Magazine chose it as a Top Pick, and Indiebound selected it as a Pick of the Month.-Critical reception:...
. She is also co-founder, editor and publisher of Narrative Magazine
Narrative Magazine
Narrative Magazine was founded in 2003 by former Esquire editor Tom Jenks and author, Carol Edgarian. Narrative is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the literary arts in the digital age. Its online library of writing by established writers, such as T. C...
, the world's first and foremost online literary magazine.
Career
Edgarian was born in New Britain, Connecticut and grew up in the Hartford area, primarily in West Hartford and Glastonbury. She attended Phillips AcademyPhillips Academy
Phillips Academy is a selective, co-educational independent boarding high school for boarding and day students in grades 9–12, along with a post-graduate year...
in Andover, Massachusetts, where she graduated cum laude, receiving the Kingsbury Prize and the Pamela Weidenman Prize in Art. She received her B.A. in English with High Honors from Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
in 1984.
She moved to San Francisco soon after college and worked as a freelance copywriter, speechwriter, and PR consultant for various high tech and retail companies, including Levi Strauss and the Mayfield Fund.
She entered the national literary scene with a high-profile debut novel Rise the Euphrates
Rise the Euphrates
Rise the Euphrates is a novel by Carol Edgarian. It concerns three generations of Armenian American women living in Memorial, Connecticut during the twentieth century. Rather than focus on a central character, the book contains the story of three generations: the grandmother Casard, her daughter...
(1994). In its review The Washington Post cited Rise the Euphrates as “a book whose generosity of spirit, intelligence, humanity, and finally ambition are what literature ought to be and rarely is today—daring, heartbreaking, and affirmative, giving order and sense to our random lives.” The Miami Herald called the novel “a stunning debut” and Mademoiselle magazine called Edgarian’s writing “so good it can raise the hairs on your neck.”
Set in San Francisco in 2009 and at the start of the financial crisis, Three Stages of Amazement
Three Stages of Amazement (novel)
Three Stages of Amazement is a novel by Carol Edgarian. The novel reached the New York Times bestseller list in its first week of publication, O Magazine chose it as a Top Pick, and Indiebound selected it as a Pick of the Month.-Critical reception:...
(2011) is both a love story and social chronicle of turbulent America. The novel reached the New York Times bestseller list in its first week of publication, O Magazine chose it as a Top Pick, and Indiebound selected it as a Pick of the Month. Three Stages of Amazement
Three Stages of Amazement (novel)
Three Stages of Amazement is a novel by Carol Edgarian. The novel reached the New York Times bestseller list in its first week of publication, O Magazine chose it as a Top Pick, and Indiebound selected it as a Pick of the Month.-Critical reception:...
was called “furiously compelling” by Janet Maslin at the New York Times, “superbly crafted, skillfully plotted” by The Washington Post, and “generous and graceful and true” by O Magazine.
Among her other works of fiction and non-fiction is The Writer’s Life: Intimate Thoughts on Work, Love, Inspiration, and Fame which she co-edited with Tom Jenks (Vintage). Edgarian has also written for numerous publications including Vogue
Vogue (magazine)
Vogue is a fashion and lifestyle magazine that is published monthly in 18 national and one regional edition by Condé Nast.-History:In 1892 Arthur Turnure founded Vogue as a weekly publication in the United States. When he died in 1909, Condé Montrose Nast picked up the magazine and slowly began...
, Travel & Leisure, and W
W (magazine)
W is a monthly American fashion magazine published by Condé Nast Publications, who purchased original owner Fairchild Publications in 1999. It was created in 1971 by the publisher of sister magazine Woman's Wear Daily, James Brady. The magazine is an oversize format – ten inches wide and...
.
In 2003 Edgarian co-founded Narrative Magazine
Narrative Magazine
Narrative Magazine was founded in 2003 by former Esquire editor Tom Jenks and author, Carol Edgarian. Narrative is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the literary arts in the digital age. Its online library of writing by established writers, such as T. C...
. Narrative is a nonprofit dedicated to advancing the literary arts in the digital age, and publishes new fiction, nonfiction, poetry, essays, and features by both well-known authors, such as Tobias Wolff
Tobias Wolff
Tobias Jonathan Ansell Wolff is an American author. He is known for his memoirs, particularly This Boy's Life , and his short stories. He has also written two novels.-Biography:Wolff was born in 1945 in Birmingham, Alabama...
, Ann Beattie
Ann Beattie
Ann Beattie is an American short story writer and novelist. She has received an award for excellence from the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters and a PEN/Bernard Malamud Award for excellence in the short story form. Her work has been compared to that of Alice Adams, J.D. Salinger,...
, and Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates
Joyce Carol Oates is an American author. Oates published her first book in 1963 and has since published over fifty novels, as well as many volumes of short stories, poetry, and nonfiction...
, and the best rising talents. Narrative was named by Esquire “the gold standard of online magazines.”
Awards
- 1994 ANC Freedom Award
- Bay Area Book Reviewers Best Fiction Prize (nominated)
- Best Debut of the Year (Chicago Tribune)
Works
- Rise the EuphratesRise the EuphratesRise the Euphrates is a novel by Carol Edgarian. It concerns three generations of Armenian American women living in Memorial, Connecticut during the twentieth century. Rather than focus on a central character, the book contains the story of three generations: the grandmother Casard, her daughter...
(1994) - The Writer’s Life: Intimate Thoughts on Work, Love, Inspiration, and Fame (1997)
- Three Stages of AmazementThree Stages of Amazement (novel)Three Stages of Amazement is a novel by Carol Edgarian. The novel reached the New York Times bestseller list in its first week of publication, O Magazine chose it as a Top Pick, and Indiebound selected it as a Pick of the Month.-Critical reception:...
(2011)