The Collected Works of Jo Ann Beard: 'The literary world's best kept secret' The Times

by Jo Ann Beard

'Brilliant, like nobody else' Elizabeth McCracken'Beard's curiosity and amazement are contagious' Financial TimesWeaving a complex tapestry drawn from interviews, anecdotes, moments from Beard's own life, and sheer imagination, these extraordinary pieces embody the hospitality of spectacular they are spaces you fall into and are reluctant to leave. From the intimate drama of everyday life - school crushes, dog clinics, divorce - to the terror and excitement of a fox lurking by a campsite or a murderer in your home, Beard flawlessly distils what it means to live deeply as we hurtle through wonder and grief, love and heartbreak.Bringing together pieces from Beard's first collection, The Boys of My Youth, and Festival Days, which was published two decades later, The Collected Works showcases Jo Ann Beard's impressive breadth, quiet brilliance, and timeless prose.

Genres: Essays, Short Stories, Fiction

448 pages, Paperback

Published August 17, 2023

About the author

Jo Ann Beard is the author of a collection of autobiographical essays, The Boys of My Youth. Her work has appeared in The New Yorker, Tin House, Best American Essays, and other magazines and anthologies. She received a Whiting Foundation Award and nonfiction fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation and the New York Foundation for the Arts.

Reviews

[Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4.5) Some all-time essays in here.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely brilliant

[Filip Wijnings · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ontiegelijk goed, misschien wel het beste van afgelopen jaar. In ieder geval heb ik er een nieuwe obsessie bij.

[Tarandeep Kang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must say I had never heard of this writer before reading some glowing reviews in the newspaper. I can certainly see why such praise is heaped upon her, and in finishing this collection of all of her works to date, I can't help feel that I've missed a treat for several years. I often feel the line between a great writer of fiction and a psychologist is a thin one. Ms Beard certainly crosses the line and is one of the most acute observers of human nature and foibles I have ever had the pleasure to read! She writes with compassion, empathy and humour for people at various turning points, and stages in their lives, some, confronting their own mortality. A treasure trove of insight, empathy, and beautiful writing I will be returning to!

[John Watson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Poignant, visceral and deadpan all at once. This collection will bring you to tears and make you smile in wry recognition of the tender truths revealed.

[Dave Van Rompaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5*. Some are among the best short stories I read. It feels more like an essay at times.

[Jenny Toune · Rating 5 out of 5]

sheer brilliance!

[Werner Hammerstingl · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reverse chronology i.e her later works are the first part of the book. I loved "Festival days" (the story) and "Boys of our youth" (again the story). She's most engaging when she appears to be chronicling her own life.