Chris Bachelder

Traver Kauffman of Rake's Progress recommends this writer. Kaufmman tells us that Bachelder's first novel, Bear v. Shark, was "promising, if a little 'DeLillo, Jr.'" in a time, post-9/11, "which was not a good time for junior DeLillos."  Bachelder's current release, U.S.!, "seemed to garner some good buzz, but for the most part I heard a few chuckles over the wacky upfront premise of the book--Upton Sinclair keeps getting resurrected and assassinated--and not much of depth." Kauffman continues, "I hate to label something a '9/11' or 'post-9/11' novel, but when you have a lefty muckraker stirring the pot and getting killed for it over and over, and when his right- and Red State-leaning assassins are frankly much more popular and celebrated than he is, well, it's not hard to see this as a commentary on Our Life and Times. (Not that this is a black & white, Red v. Blue polemic--it isn't.)

"Bachelder handles his wacky premise well and without falling into the slough of hysterical realism (so-called). In other words, he's not just spitballin'--he uses the wacky mode to break hearts (paraphrasing Donald Barthelme), and that's something to celebrate."

More about Chris Bachelder

+ Bookslut interview with Bachelder
+ Bachelder's hilarious "Lessons in Virtual Tour Photography"
+ Bloomsbury bio page on Bachelder
+ Bachelder's (fitting) review of Upton Sinclair's The Jungle for Mother Jones
 

Comments

[Randy]

I read "U.S.!" and highly recommend it. Yes, its definitely commenting on our times of political ennui and the loss of high minded principles of social justice but the book is more than that. Upton Sinclair emerges from the pages as a terrific and memorable character. Chris experiments with a variety of styles and approaches, most of which work brilliantly. A few fall flat but that's okay. He is aiming high. I looked to Bachelder to write the great American political satire.

[aaron]

I love Bachelder and encrouage everyone around me to pick up everything of his they can -- these two novels, his short stories, his "writing on writing" columns in recent Oxford Americans have been awesome...