Joshua Mohr
Encyclopedia
Joshua Mohr is an American author
. His first novel, Some Things That Meant the World to Me was published by Two Dollar Radio
in June, 2009. His second novel, Termite Parade, was published by Two Dollar Radio
in 2010. His third novel, Damascus, will be published by Two Dollar Radio
in 2011. Visit his website for news, readings and more: www.joshuamohr.net.
, AZ) in 1988, and currently lives in the Mission District of San Francisco, CA. He attended San Francisco State University
for his undergraduate studies, where he received two Bachelor of Arts
degrees: the first in history
, the second in creative writing
. He then went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts
in creative writing at the University of San Francisco
, where he graduated in 2005.
.
When Rhonda was a child – abandoned and ignored by his mother; abused and misguided by his mother’s boyfriend – he imagined the rooms of his home drifting apart from one another like separating continents. Years later, after an embarrassing episode as an adult, Rhonda’s inner-child appears, leading him to a trapdoor in a most unlikely place that will force him to finally confront his troubled past.
In the spirit of Cruddy by Lynda Barry
and Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson
, Joshua Mohr has created a remarkable and unforgettable character in this charmingly poetic and maturely crafted first novel.
Some Things That Meant the World to Me:
Publishers Weekly
Review (*Starred) of "Some Things That Meant the World to Me":
Termite Parade tells the story of Mired, the self-described "bastard daughter of a menage a trois between Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Sylvia Plath, and Eeyore." Mired catalogs her "museum of emotional failures," the latest entry to which is her boyfriend Derek, an auto mechanic (whose body may or may not be infested with termites), who loses his cool carrying her up the stairs to their apartment.
As Derek's termites wreak havoc on his nervous system, Mired pieces together the puzzle, each character revealing aspects of their savage natures, culminating in a climax of pure animal chaos. Along the way, there's a moustached softball team of misanthropes, Mired's Mt. Rushmore of Male Failures, and armed robberies videotaped for vicarious thrills.
Termite Parade
New York Times Book Review (Editor's Choice) of "Termite Parade":
His short story Dressing the Dead was featured as a component of the New Short Fiction Series' emerging American writers show and was performed live in Beverly Hills. In addition, a chapter from his forthcoming novel was one of the winners of Salt Hill's short-short contest in 2006.
External links:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/05/DDF81809J8.DTL&type=books
http://twodollarradio.com/
http://www.cbsd.com/inventory.aspx?id=1655997
http://www.amazon.com/Some-Things-That-Meant-World/dp/0982015119/ref=cm_rna_own_wish_img
http://www.curlyredstories.com/curlyredstories/Interviews/Entries/2009/2/1_Joshua_Mohr.html
http://therumpus.net/2009/05/a-faithful-grope-in-the-dark/
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
. His first novel, Some Things That Meant the World to Me was published by Two Dollar Radio
Two Dollar Radio
Two Dollar Radio is an independent publishing house based in Columbus, Ohio, also known as The Two Dollar Radio Movement. The company was founded in 2005 by husband and wife team Eric Obenauf and Eliza Jane Wood, with Brian Obenauf. Emily Pullen joined the publishing house as an editor and outreach...
in June, 2009. His second novel, Termite Parade, was published by Two Dollar Radio
Two Dollar Radio
Two Dollar Radio is an independent publishing house based in Columbus, Ohio, also known as The Two Dollar Radio Movement. The company was founded in 2005 by husband and wife team Eric Obenauf and Eliza Jane Wood, with Brian Obenauf. Emily Pullen joined the publishing house as an editor and outreach...
in 2010. His third novel, Damascus, will be published by Two Dollar Radio
Two Dollar Radio
Two Dollar Radio is an independent publishing house based in Columbus, Ohio, also known as The Two Dollar Radio Movement. The company was founded in 2005 by husband and wife team Eric Obenauf and Eliza Jane Wood, with Brian Obenauf. Emily Pullen joined the publishing house as an editor and outreach...
in 2011. Visit his website for news, readings and more: www.joshuamohr.net.
Biography
Joshua Mohr moved to the Bay Area (from PhoenixPhoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
, AZ) in 1988, and currently lives in the Mission District of San Francisco, CA. He attended San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University
San Francisco State University is a public university located in San Francisco, California. As part of the 23-campus California State University system, the university offers over 100 areas of study from nine academic colleges...
for his undergraduate studies, where he received two Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
degrees: the first in history
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
, the second in creative writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
. He then went on to receive a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in creative writing at the University of San Francisco
University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
, where he graduated in 2005.
Work
Joshua Mohr teaches creative writing at The Writing Salon in San Francisco and at the University of San FranciscoUniversity of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco , is a private, Jesuit/Catholic university located in San Francisco, California. Founded in 1855, USF was established as the first university in San Francisco. It is the second oldest institution for higher learning in California and the tenth-oldest university of...
.
Summary of "Some Things that Meant the World to Me"
Following a 30-year-old man named Rhonda suffering from depersonalization, Some Things That Meant the World to Me is a gritty and beautiful work that is creative and hypnotic, and should stand as an introduction of an original new voice to American literature.When Rhonda was a child – abandoned and ignored by his mother; abused and misguided by his mother’s boyfriend – he imagined the rooms of his home drifting apart from one another like separating continents. Years later, after an embarrassing episode as an adult, Rhonda’s inner-child appears, leading him to a trapdoor in a most unlikely place that will force him to finally confront his troubled past.
In the spirit of Cruddy by Lynda Barry
Lynda Barry
Lynda Barry is an American cartoonist and author. One of the most successful non-mainstream American cartoonists, Barry is perhaps best known for her weekly comic strip Ernie Pook's Comeek. Barry's cartoons often view family life from the perspective of pre-teen girls from the wrong side of the...
and Jesus' Son by Denis Johnson
Denis Johnson
Denis Hale Johnson is an American author who is known for his short-story collection Jesus' Son and his novel Tree of Smoke , which won the National Book Award. He also writes plays, poetry and non-fiction.- Biography :...
, Joshua Mohr has created a remarkable and unforgettable character in this charmingly poetic and maturely crafted first novel.
Some Things That Meant the World to Me:
- Oprah "O" Magazine '10 Terrific Reads of 2009'
- Nervous Breakdown Best Book of 2009
- San Francisco Chronicle Best Seller July 2009
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly
Publishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
Review (*Starred) of "Some Things That Meant the World to Me":
"Mohr's first novel is biting and heartbreaking, a piercing look at the indelible scars a violent past has left on a young man named Rhonda. The disturbing narrative engine - Rhonda's renaming and reimagining of the world around him to fit into his damaged logic - keeps the story creepily moving as it touches on homebrew prison wine and Rhonda's friendship with his childhood self, little-Rhonda. Mohr uses punchy, tightly wound prose to pull readers into a nightmarish landscape, but he never loses the heart of his story; it's as touching as it is shocking."
Summary of "Termite Parade"
Termite Parade is the follow-up to Joshua Mohr's San Francisco Chronicle bestselling first novel - and one of O, The Oprah Magazine's '10 Terrific Reads of 2009' - Some Things That Meant the World to Me.Termite Parade tells the story of Mired, the self-described "bastard daughter of a menage a trois between Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Sylvia Plath, and Eeyore." Mired catalogs her "museum of emotional failures," the latest entry to which is her boyfriend Derek, an auto mechanic (whose body may or may not be infested with termites), who loses his cool carrying her up the stairs to their apartment.
As Derek's termites wreak havoc on his nervous system, Mired pieces together the puzzle, each character revealing aspects of their savage natures, culminating in a climax of pure animal chaos. Along the way, there's a moustached softball team of misanthropes, Mired's Mt. Rushmore of Male Failures, and armed robberies videotaped for vicarious thrills.
Termite Parade
New York Times Book Review (Editor's Choice) of "Termite Parade":
"[A] wry and unnerving story of bad love gone rotten... [Mohr] has a generous understanding of his characters, whom he describes with an intelligence and sensitivity that pulls you in."
Read the full review here.
Other publications
Joshua Mohr has previously published many short stories in literary journals, such as Other Voices, the Cimarron Review, Gulf Coast, Pleiades, among others.His short story Dressing the Dead was featured as a component of the New Short Fiction Series' emerging American writers show and was performed live in Beverly Hills. In addition, a chapter from his forthcoming novel was one of the winners of Salt Hill's short-short contest in 2006.
External links:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/05/DDF81809J8.DTL&type=books
http://twodollarradio.com/
http://www.cbsd.com/inventory.aspx?id=1655997
http://www.amazon.com/Some-Things-That-Meant-World/dp/0982015119/ref=cm_rna_own_wish_img
http://www.curlyredstories.com/curlyredstories/Interviews/Entries/2009/2/1_Joshua_Mohr.html
http://therumpus.net/2009/05/a-faithful-grope-in-the-dark/