Vintage Ford [Paperback]

Richard Ford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 6, 2004

Vintage Readers are a perfect introduction to some of the great modern writers presented in attractive, accessible paperback editions.

“One of the country’s best writers. . . . No one looks harder at contemporary American life, sees more, or expresses it with such hushed, deliberate care.” —San Francisco Chronicle

An accomplished practitioner of the short story and the "Babe Ruth of novelists," (Washington Post Book World) Richard Ford is the first writer to receive both the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for a single book, his 1995 novel Independence Day.

Vintage Ford includes an excerpt from that novel, along with the stories “Communist,” and “Rock Springs” from his collection Rock Springs; “Reunion,” and “Calling,” from A Multitude of Sins, which won him the 2001 PEN/Malamud Award; “The Womanizer,” from Women with Men.

Also included, for the first time in book form, the memoir, “My Mother, in Memory.”

Editorial Reviews

Review

"One of the country's best writers...No one looks harder at contemporary American life, sees more, or expresses it with such hushed, deliberate care."--San Francisco Chronicle --This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

From the Inside Flap

Vintage Readers are a perfect introduction to some of the great modern writers presented in attractive, accessible paperback editions.

?One of the country?s best writers. . . . No one looks harder at contemporary American life, sees more, or expresses it with such hushed, deliberate care.? ?San Francisco Chronicle

An accomplished practitioner of the short story and the "Babe Ruth of novelists," (Washington Post Book World) Richard Ford is the first writer to receive both the Pulitzer Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for a single book, his 1995 novel Independence Day.

Vintage Ford includes an excerpt from that novel, along with the stories ?Communist,? and ?Rock Springs? from his collection Rock Springs; ?Reunion,? and ?Calling,? from A Multitude of Sins, which won him the 2001 PEN/Malamud Award; ?The Womanizer,? from Women with Men.

Also included, for the first time in book form, the memoir, ?My Mother, in Memory.?

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Vintage; First Edition edition (January 6, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1400033926
• ISBN-13: 978-1400033928
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.6 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #860,745 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ford, January 10, 2004

By 

chris (LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vintage Ford (Paperback)

I've never even heard of this guy. I was at the bookstore and I started reading this edition for no reason. Immediately, he became one of my top five favorite writers. Each story I completed, I was just that more amazed. Amazed with his work and the fact I had never heard of him. I feel it's very sensitive, down-to-earth work. He is an ace at describing the outer scene while also gouging out the the inside. And it is so gouged out, that you can't help but find pieces of your own despair and failings there. Maybe the stories will mirror some similar experiences in your life. I've read writers who could do this. It's hard to find those who can do it so well. This book has introduced me to a lesser-known writer (to me at least) who is greatly capable of this craft.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tempting even though I own it all, June 24, 2004

By 

Tony Thomas (SUNNY ISLES BEACH, FL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Vintage Ford (Paperback)

Richard Ford is my favorite writer of fiction today. Whatever else you can say about his books and stories, he tries to be honest about life, observant, gentle, respectful, and is able to show the hard realities of life, and doesn't dote too much on the sweet, the easy, or the sentimental. His books tend to be more like memories of life lived by a friend, rather than stories. He never attempts to be catchy, self aggrandizing, or entertaining, apart from telling the truths he can find in stories and novels.

I have read everything here including his great memoir of his mom. It is tempting to buy this book again just because I like it so much. I really loved Ford's Rock Springs so much that I have two copies so I don't have to take the autographed copy out of the house.

This book is an excellent introduction to Ford. Of course once you read him, you are going to need to buy everything else he has ever written. I recommend first reading Rock Springs, one of the great collections of short fiction in the English language, and Wildlife, a novella that Ford tolm me was really the culmination of what Rock Springs talked about. After that read The Sports Writer and Independence Day, two great novels about the same character.

I have been reading Ford seriously since 1985, especially in the late 1980s and early 1990s when I was writing fiction. One thing that hits me is how rereadable he is. Even as I type these worls, I am thinking of when I can get home, pull down one of my copies of Rock Springs and pack it for the trip I am going on this weekend, if I can wait that long to read it!

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Vintage Readers!, March 10, 2004

By 

B. Vanhise (Denver, CO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Vintage Ford (Paperback)

I admit, of all 12 Vintage Readers, this is the one I was most adamant about--for no other reason than I'd tried reading Ford a few years ago (Independence Day...didn't care for it at all). However, this collection is a mix of small masterpieces!

"The Womanizer" might possibly be the best novella/short story I've ever read. All the pieces contain a certain amount of nervous tension with the narrator/main character to the others in their lives. The Womanizer capitalizes on this tension best and I'm convinced now that Ford is a master at creating it. It's that kind of nervousness that we get when in awkward situations and aren't sure how to boldly handle it. Remarkable.

If any piece was dry, it would have to be the selection from Independence Day. For some reason, it just doesn't sit well with me. But, that segment was only 10 pages, so, no biggie.

Check this book out if, for no other reason, for The Womanizer. It's 70 pages--so makes up a good 1/3 of the book.

Remarkable!