Conversations with Ron Rash (Literary Conversations Series) by Ron Rash


Conversations with Ron Rash (Literary Conversations Series)
Title : Conversations with Ron Rash (Literary Conversations Series)
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : -
Language : English
Format Type : Kindle Edition
Number of Pages : 230
Publication : Published January 3, 2017

Since the publication of Serena in 2008 earned him a nomination for the PEN/Faulkner fiction prize, Ron Rash (b. 1953) has gained attention as one of the South's finest writers. Rash draws upon his family's history in Appalachia, where most members have worked with their hands as farmers or millworkers. In the Grit Lit or Rough South genre, Rash maintains a prominent place as a skilled craftsman and triple threat, publishing four collections of poetry, six short story collections, and six novels. Though best known as an Appalachian writer, Rash's reach has grown to extend well beyond Appalachia and the American South, spreading to an international audience.

Conversations with Ron Rash collects twenty-two interviews with the award-winning author and provides a look into Rash's writing career from his first collection of short stories, The Night the New Jesus Fell to Earth in 1994 through his 2015 novel, Above the Waterfall. The collection includes four interviews from outside the United States, two of which appear in English for the first time. Spanning sixteen years, these interviews demonstrate the disciplined writing process of an expert writer, Rash's views of literature on a local and a global scale, his profound respect for the craft of the written word, and his ongoing goal to connect with his readers.

Conversations with Ron Rash (Literary Conversations Series) Reviews

  • Kathleen

    A little over a month ago, I read my first book by Ron Rash and was so infatuated with his wonderful writing that when I noticed this book at NetGalley I was quick to request a copy and was ecstatic to receive an approval.

    CONVERSATIONS WITH RON RASH was interesting and educational. I enjoyed getting to know about his background, thoughts on writing, books and writers he admires, his successes and his spoken thoughts about politicians in his country.

    One of the stories Rash related that resonated with me was about how his grandfather inspired him.
    "My grandfather couldn't read or write. And when I was five years old, I asked him to read The Cat in the Hat, not knowing he couldn't read. He turned the pages and made up a story. It was a different story from the one my mother had read from the book, which was fascinating. But then, the next time I asked him to read it the story was different. The cat got into more trouble. It just kind of gave me this moment where words seemed like they were magical-almost like they were fluttering around and changing places. The idea of language kind of being this magical thing has stayed with me all my life."

    Rash frequently spoke about using nature in his writing. "Nature is the most universal of languages. So, if you set work out in nature metaphors and similes, I think you've got a chance of your work being more universal."

    As a reader, I love this quote by Rash -
    "I believe that a novel is an act of communion between the author and the reader; it's a shared consciousness, very intimate. The reader is taking these blotches of ink I've written and bringing them to life."

    This book would appeal especially to fans of Ron Rash, anyone looking for tips on good writing, and examples of well orchestrated and interesting interviews.
    4****

    Special thanks to NetGalley, University Press of Mississippi, Editors Monika Gehlawat, Mae Miller Claxton and Rain Newcomb, and Ron Rash for allowing me the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Please accept my apologies for taking quotes from the unfinished advance reader copy I was given.

  • Rusty

    Rash covers a lot of territory in these interviews, but the repetition doesn't bore. Instead it gives you a fuller sense of his overall concerns. He doesn't seem to change his methods or desires, but more and more people are coming to his work. Only a good thing. Rash is one of our great ones.

  • Bonnye Reed

    GNAB I received a free electronic copy of this biography from Netgalley, Ron Rash and Mae Miller Claxton, and University Press of Mississippi in exchange for an honest review. Thank you all, for sharing your hard work with me.

    This is an exceptional collection of interviews with author Ron Rash covering several years and all of his books. He is an excellent southern (Appalachian) author, one of my favorite genres. I managed to miss him, back in the days of busy life/small town/ children- but I am making up for lost time. Thank you, Netgalley, for bringing me to read Ron Rash. He will go on my favorites list.

    Pub date Dec 6, 2016
    Received Jan 26, 2017

  • John of Canada

    With all the interviews in this book(22)there was bound to be a lot of repetition and I thought that was a strength of this book,not a distraction.I really felt that I got to know Ron Rash and quite liked him.A really interesting attitude to writing,which could be applied to sports,business,any endeavours.For example:"a refusal to give up when the odds predict defeat",and "Art, beneath its intoxicating surface,art makes singularly unglamorous demands-integrity,sacrifice,and discipline".
    Most of the interviews were really well done.I especially enjoyed the French interviewers.Ron Rash never had anything unkind to say about other writers or critics.Unlike one of the interviewers(I'm talking about you Mr.Birnbaum).I think the most fascinating thing about Rash is the mystical nature of how the writing ideas came to him.I was thrilled to see that there was an index,and additional resources.I am going to gift this book.

  • Steven

    Gets repetitive because the interviewers keep asking the same questions and getting the same answers. Good insights into his exploration of Welsh poetic forms/sounds. His prose process sounds grueling; hard to tell if he's in the flow during those sessions, but the novels and short stories speak for themselves. Will be interesting if you are into Appalachian literature.

  • Craig Amason

    I read this book because I am writing a review of it for the Flannery O'Connor Review; therefore I won't spend much time with it here. I am a fan of Rash and have read a couple of his novels. This collection of interviews is part of the very successful series by University Press of Mississippi called "Literary Conversations," which featured Flannery O'Connor in one of the early installments. It was interesting to learn that Rash's perspectives about writing fiction and poetry didn't change much over the course of 16 years, probably because he waited so long to start writing seriously enough to publish.

    One of the writers that he admires and considers underappreciated is Donald Harington, who began writing novels set in the Ozarks in the early 1970s from his home in Arkansas. I have started reading Harington on Rash's recommendation and plan to read more of Rash's work too, perhaps including some of his poetry.

  • Kathleen

    Conversations With Ron Rash is a compilation of interesting and enlightening interviews with Ron Rash. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book in 2017 and still remember parts and pieces of the interviews. I just discovered that there is no review....I am sure that I posted my review! It is missing.
    I loved the part in the interview where Ron Rash tells the story of his Grandfather who couldn't read or write. Ron was five years old and asked him to read The Cat in the Hat not realizing that he couldn't read. Every time the story was different giving Ron a moment "where words seemed like they were magical - almost like they were fluttering around and changing places. That idea of language kind of being this magical thing has stayed with me all my life."

    Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book.
    5 stars