Historical Fiction In Pym By Mat Johnson

A novel mat johnson spiegel and grau trade paper new york 2012 reading notes and discussion questions zubeda jalalzai and anita duneer preface return to the us after the extraordinary series of adventures in the south seas 3.

Historical fiction in pym by mat johnson.

A novel the sharpest and most unusual story i read last year. In 2007 he was named the first usa james baldwin fellow by united states artists. The novel was written over a period of nine years and has been well received by critics who have praised its lighthearted and. In 2007 he was named the first usa james baldwin fellow by united states artists.

It s a beautiful piece of work. Mat s pym starts with the premise that poe s pym existed in real life had an adventurous journey that left him in the antarctica among a rare group of gigantic neanderthals and managed to hold himself together for two. Mat johnson s new novel is nothing short of fantastic in every sense. The title pym might resonate with e a.

Pym is the third novel by american author mat johnson published on march 1 2011 a satirical fantasy inspired by the narrative of arthur gordon pym of nantucket edgar allan poe s only novel the book explores racial politics and identity in america and antarctica. Mat johnson is an american writer of literary fiction who works in both prose and the comics format. This is an adventure novel a work of historical and social commentary a rumination on identity. Mat johnson s satirical vision roves as freely as kurt vonnegut s and is colored with the same sort of passionate humanitarianism maud newton new york times magazine named one of the best books of the year by the washington post vanity fair houston chronicle the seattle times salon.

Poe s novel was a master text of anxious. The narrative of arthur gordon pym of nantucket was the only full length novel written by edgar allen poe. I fell in love with the voice the tone and the world of pym. Mat johnson s pym presupposes this story is rooted in historical fact and takes off from there with a wide ranging tale that travels from new york to gary indiana to antarctica.

In mat johnson s pym a professor of african american literature who explores the blatant racism in poe s novel takes the reader on an unexpected retelling of the story through adventure and satire. Pym attempted to unravel the only novel written by edgar allan poe the narrative of arthur gordon pym of nantucket. Gentlemen from richmond virginia1 including mat johnson assistant professor of language and. Mat johnson born august 19 1970 in philadelphia pennsylvania is an american fiction writer who works in both prose and the comics format.