Dept. of Speculation

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Dept. of Speculation
Dept. of Speculation.jpg
First edition
Author Jenny Offill
LanguageEnglish
Publisher Alfred A. Knopf
Publication date
January 28, 2014
Publication place United States
Pages179 pages
ISBN 9780345806871

Dept. of Speculation is a 2014 novel by American author Jenny Offill. The novel received positive reviews, and has been compared to Offill's later work, Weather .

Contents

Composition and writing

Though not purely autobiographical, the novel draws from Offill's life. [1] Offill has said Dept. of Speculation "[...] came from the ashes of another book". [1] Dept. of Speculation eschews a typical plot, which Offill has said was deliberate. [2]

Reception

Critical reception

The novel has been compared to Renata Adler's 1976 book Speedboat . [3] [4] In her review of the book, published by NPR, Meg Wolitzer praised the novel as "[...] intriguing, beautifully written, sly and often profound". [5] Wolitzer also praised the novel's humor. [5]

Offill has said she did not anticipate the book's success. [6]

Honors

Dept. of Speculation was shortlisted for 2015 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, [7] and the Folio Prize. [8]

The novel was included on the New York Times' list of the best books of 2014. [9]

Influence

A passage in the novel influenced Rachel Yoder's novel Nightbitch . [10]

References

  1. 1 2 "In Fragments Of A Marriage, Familiar Themes Get Experimental". NPR. January 26, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  2. ↑ Pieknik, Matt (March 31, 2014). "How Much Could Be Left Unsaid: An Interview with Jenny Offill". The Paris Review. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  3. ↑ Wood, James (March 24, 2014). "Mother Courage". The New Yorker. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  4. ↑ Gay, Roxane (February 7, 2014). "Bridled Vows (Published 2014)". The New York Times. Retrieved January 6, 2021.
  5. 1 2 Wolitzer, Meg (January 23, 2014). "'Speculation' Shows Good Stories Come In Small Packages, Too". NPR.org. NPR. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  6. ↑ Haas, Lidija (February 28, 2015). "Jenny Offill: life after Dept. of Speculation – the underdog persona's not going to fly any more". the Guardian. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  7. ↑ "Announcing The 2015 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction Winner | The PEN/Faulkner Foundation". PEN/Faulkner Foundation. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  8. ↑ Piepenbring, Dan (February 9, 2015). "The 2015 Folio Prize Shortlist". The Paris Review. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  9. ↑ "The 10 Best Books of 2014 (Published 2014)". The New York Times. December 4, 2014. Retrieved January 7, 2021.
  10. ↑ Tyler, J.A. (July 22, 2021). "Ferocious and Violent: The Millions Interviews Rachel Yoder". The Millions. Retrieved August 30, 2021.
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