David James Duncan
Encyclopedia
David James Duncan is an American
novelist and essayist, best known for his two bestselling novels, The River Why
(1983, ISBN 1578050847) and The Brothers K
(1992, ISBN 055337849x). Both involve fly fishing
, baseball
, and family.
Both received the Pacific Northwest Booksellers award; The Brothers K was a New York Times Notable Book in 1992 and won a Best Books Award from the American Library Association
.
and Amber Heard
. On April 30, 2008, the film rights to The River Why became the subject of a lawsuit by Duncan alleging copyright infringement
, among other issues. The lawsuit has been settled and Duncan has said, “I engaged in a three-year legal battle against the producers of the film over their handling of my film rights. That battle was settled last fall. My name is off the film, Sierra Club’s name is off the film, and the rights have returned to me. I tried to remove my title from their film, too, but the federal magistrate in San Francisco let them keep it”.
An essay, "Bird Watching as a Blood Sport", appeared in Harper's Magazine
in 1998; Duncan wrote the foreword to Thoreau on Water: Reflecting Heaven (2001, ISBN 0395953863).
An essay, "A Mickey Mantle koan: The obstinate grip of an autographed baseball" appeared in Harper's Magazine in 1992.
and lives in Lolo
in Missoula County, Montana
. He has written op-ed pieces in support of preservation of Montana's Blackfoot River
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist and essayist, best known for his two bestselling novels, The River Why
The River Why
The River Why is an independent film based on the 1983 Sierra Club novel of the same name by David James Duncan.The film stars Zach Gilford, William Hurt and Amber Heard and is directed by Matthew Leutwyler.Showtime broadcast the film in August 2011...
(1983, ISBN 1578050847) and The Brothers K
The Brothers K
The Brothers K is a 1992 novel by David James Duncan an author, fisherman and environmental advocate from the Pacific Northwest. It builds on the sporting and spiritual themes of The River Why, Duncan's first book, but on a much larger canvas, focusing on an entire family instead of a single...
(1992, ISBN 055337849x). Both involve fly fishing
Fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling method in which an artificial 'fly' is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or 'lure' requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and family.
Both received the Pacific Northwest Booksellers award; The Brothers K was a New York Times Notable Book in 1992 and won a Best Books Award from the American Library Association
American Library Association
The American Library Association is a non-profit organization based in the United States that promotes libraries and library education internationally. It is the oldest and largest library association in the world, with more than 62,000 members....
.
Film adaptation
In 2008, The River Why was adapted into a "low-budget film" of the same name starring William HurtWilliam Hurt
William McGill Hurt is an American stage and film actor. He received his acting training at the Juilliard School, and began acting on stage in the 1970s. Hurt made his film debut as a troubled scientist in the science-fiction feature Altered States , for which he received a Golden Globe nomination...
and Amber Heard
Amber Heard
Amber Laura Heard is an American actress and model. She played the lead and title character in All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, which debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2006. Heard's first starring role came in 2007 on the CW television show Hidden Palms...
. On April 30, 2008, the film rights to The River Why became the subject of a lawsuit by Duncan alleging copyright infringement
Copyright infringement
Copyright infringement is the unauthorized or prohibited use of works under copyright, infringing the copyright holder's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works.- "Piracy" :...
, among other issues. The lawsuit has been settled and Duncan has said, “I engaged in a three-year legal battle against the producers of the film over their handling of my film rights. That battle was settled last fall. My name is off the film, Sierra Club’s name is off the film, and the rights have returned to me. I tried to remove my title from their film, too, but the federal magistrate in San Francisco let them keep it”.
Other works
Duncan has written a collection of short stories, River Teeth (1996, ISBN 0553378279), and a memoir of sorts, My Story As Told By Water (2001, ISBN 1578050839). His latest work is God Laughs and Plays: Churchless Sermons in Response to the Preachments of the Fundamentalist Right, published in 2006 (ISBN 0977717003).An essay, "Bird Watching as a Blood Sport", appeared in Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
in 1998; Duncan wrote the foreword to Thoreau on Water: Reflecting Heaven (2001, ISBN 0395953863).
An essay, "A Mickey Mantle koan: The obstinate grip of an autographed baseball" appeared in Harper's Magazine in 1992.
Personal life
Duncan was born in Portland, OregonPortland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
and lives in Lolo
Lolo, Montana
Lolo is a census-designated place in Missoula County, Montana, United States. It is part of the 'Missoula, Montana Metropolitan Statistical Area'. The population was 3,388 at the 2000 census. It is home to Travelers' Rest State Park, a site where Lewis and Clark camped in 1805 and again in 1806...
in Missoula County, Montana
Missoula County, Montana
-National protected areas:*Bitterroot National Forest *Flathead National Forest *Lolo National Forest *Rattlesnake National Recreation Area-Demographics:...
. He has written op-ed pieces in support of preservation of Montana's Blackfoot River
Blackfoot River
Blackfoot River can refer to:* Blackfoot River * Blackfoot River...
.
External links
- David James Duncan Official website
- David James Duncan from literature-map.com (JavaScriptJavaScriptJavaScript is a prototype-based scripting language that is dynamic, weakly typed and has first-class functions. It is a multi-paradigm language, supporting object-oriented, imperative, and functional programming styles....
required) - INK Q&A: Interview with David James Duncan from the Powell's BooksPowell's BooksPowell's Books is a chain of bookstores in Oregon's Portland metropolitan area. Powell's headquarters, dubbed Powell's City of Books, claims to be the largest independent new and used bookstore in the world. Powell's City of Books is located in the Pearl District on the edge of downtown and...
website