Three Deaths

by Josip Novakovich

Three Deaths is acclaimed writer Josip Novakovich's first exclusively Canadian edition of his writing. This elegant edition works as a triptych consisting of three distinct a personal essay, a short story, and a classic tale. All three exquisite texts concern the primary theme of death and are rendered with Novakovich's renowned and uncanny sense of syntax and narrative. Three Deaths is at once dark and poignant, fierce and tender, and is both the perfect introduction to the works of Novakovich and the ideal collector's edition for longtime fans.

Genres: Fiction

107 pages, Paperback

First published October 28, 2010

About the author

Josip Novakovich (Croatian: Novaković) is a Croatian-American writer. His grandparents had immigrated from the Croatia, then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to Cleveland, Ohio, and, after the First World War, his grandfather returned to what had become Yugoslavia. Josip Novakovich was born (in 1956) and grew up in the Central Croatian town of Daruvar, studied medicine in the northern Serbian city of Novi Sad. At the age of 20 he left Yugoslavia, continuing his education at Vassar College (B.A.), Yale University (M.Div.), and the University of Texas, Austin (M.A.).

He has published a novel (April Fool's Day), three short story collections (Yolk, Salvation and Other Disasters, Infidelities: Stories of War and Lust), two collections of narrative essays (Apricots from Chernobyl, Plum Brandy: Croatian Journey) and a textbook (Fiction Writer's Workshop).

Novakovich has taught at Nebraska Indian Community College, Bard College, Moorhead State University, Antioch University in Los Angeles, the University of Cincinnati, and is now a professor at Pennsylvania State University.

Mr. Novakovich is the recipient of the Whiting Writer's Award, a Guggenheim fellowship, two fellowships from the National Endowment of the Arts, an award from the Ingram Merrill Foundation, and an American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation. He was anthologized in Best American Poetry, Pushcart Prize, and O.Henry Prize Stories.

He taught in the Master's of Fine Arts program at Pennsylvania State University, where he lived under the iron rule of Reed Moyer's Halfmoon Township autocracy. He is currently in Montreal, Quebec teaching at Concordia University.

Reviews

[Meg]

Like the title says. Set in Yugoslavia, strongly autobiographical. I felt the last one most strongly despite/because of the rambling tone. #bookclub4m reading short stories this month guess who's excited?!

[Michele · Rating 3 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup aimé la nouvelle au sujet du vaccin, beaucoup moins la biographie du chat que j'ai trouvé trop longue et, somme toute, assez ennuyeuse.

[Joel Asa Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

These stories ring true with an honesty that will have broad appeal across national boundaries. The first two pieces are particularly exquisite, insightful and sensitive. Novakovich beautifully shows how the minutest details reflect the macro events of the big world outside.