Nathaniel Rich (novelist)
Encyclopedia
Nathaniel Rich is an American
novelist and essayist. He is the author of a novel, The Mayor's Tongue (ISBN 978-1594489907), published by Riverhead
in 2008. A work of nonfiction, San Francisco Noir: The City in Film Noir from 1940 to the Present (ISBN 978-1892145307), was published by The Little Bookroom
in 2005. Rich has written essays and criticism for The New York Review of Books
, Vanity Fair
, The New York Times
, Harper's Magazine
and Slate
.
Rich is an alumnus of Yale University
, where he studied literature
. After graduation he worked on the editorial staff of The New York Review of Books
. He moved to San Francisco to write San Francisco Noir, which The San Francisco Chronicle named one of the best books of 2005. That year he was hired as an editor by The Paris Review. He is the older brother of novelist and screenwriter Simon Rich
and son of the journalist Frank Rich
.
The Mayor's Tongue was described by Carolyn See
in The Washington Post
as a "playful, highly intellectual novel about serious subjects -- the failure of language, for one, and how we cope with that failure in order to keep ourselves sane." A number of prominent artists and book designers—including Rodrigo Corral, David Rees
, and Zach Dodson of Featherproof Books
—as well as readers have contributed to an ongoing project to design cover art for books by the fictional Constance Eakins, a central character in The Mayor's Tongue.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
novelist and essayist. He is the author of a novel, The Mayor's Tongue (ISBN 978-1594489907), published by Riverhead
Riverhead
Riverhead may refer to:* Riverhead, Kent, England* Riverhead, New Zealand* Riverhead, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada* Riverhead, Nova Scotia, a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia* Riverhead , the debut album of Goldenhorse...
in 2008. A work of nonfiction, San Francisco Noir: The City in Film Noir from 1940 to the Present (ISBN 978-1892145307), was published by The Little Bookroom
The Little Bookroom
The Little Bookroom is a collection of twenty-seven stories by Eleanor Farjeon, most in the fairy tale style, chosen by the author to represent the best of her work over the previous thirty years. The collection was first published in 1955, and led to the author being awarded the Carnegie Medal for...
in 2005. Rich has written essays and criticism for The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs. Published in New York City, it takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...
, Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair (magazine)
Vanity Fair is a magazine of pop culture, fashion, and current affairs published by Condé Nast. The present Vanity Fair has been published since 1983 and there have been editions for four European countries as well as the U.S. edition. This revived the title which had ceased publication in 1935...
, The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, 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...
and Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
.
Rich is an alumnus of Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, where he studied literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
. After graduation he worked on the editorial staff of The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books
The New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs. Published in New York City, it takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...
. He moved to San Francisco to write San Francisco Noir, which The San Francisco Chronicle named one of the best books of 2005. That year he was hired as an editor by The Paris Review. He is the older brother of novelist and screenwriter Simon Rich
Simon Rich
Simon Rich is an American humorist, novelist, and television writer, best known for being the youngest writer ever hired on Saturday Night Live and writing the Thurber Prize-nominated humor collection Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations....
and son of the journalist Frank Rich
Frank Rich
Frank Rich is an American essayist and op-ed columnist who wrote for The New York Times from 1980, when he was appointed its chief theatre critic, until 2011...
.
The Mayor's Tongue was described by Carolyn See
Carolyn See
Carolyn See is the author of nine books, including the memoir, Dreaming: Hard Luck and Good Times in America, an advice book on writing, Making a Literary Life, and the novels There Will Never Be Another You and The Handyman....
in The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
as a "playful, highly intellectual novel about serious subjects -- the failure of language, for one, and how we cope with that failure in order to keep ourselves sane." A number of prominent artists and book designers—including Rodrigo Corral, David Rees
David Rees (cartoonist)
David Thomas Rees is a left-wing cartoonist and humorist whose best-known work combines bland clip art with outrageous "trash talk" to incongruous effect...
, and Zach Dodson of Featherproof Books
Featherproof books
Featherproof Books is a small, independent publisher working out of Chicago, Illinois. It was founded in 2005 by Jonathan Messinger and Zach Dodson. They publish perfect bound novels, short story collections and other works, and provide "mini-books" containing short stories and novellas for free...
—as well as readers have contributed to an ongoing project to design cover art for books by the fictional Constance Eakins, a central character in The Mayor's Tongue.
Reviews
- New York Times review of The Mayor's Tongue
- Washington City Paper review of The Mayor's Tongue
- The Guardian review of The Mayor's Tongue
- The Washington Post review of The Mayor's Tongue
Interviews and profiles
- NPR interview with Rich
- Interview Magazine profile
- New York Times web interview
Other Writing
- List of Rich's essays for The New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of BooksThe New York Review of Books is a fortnightly magazine with articles on literature, culture and current affairs. Published in New York City, it takes as its point of departure that the discussion of important books is itself an indispensable literary activity...
- List of Rich's writings for SlateSlate (magazine)Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
- Essay on Brooklyn for The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
- Interview with Stephen KingStephen KingStephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
for The Paris Review