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Simone Zelitch biography

Author Biography  | Interview  | Books by this Author  | Read-Alikes

Simone Zelitch
Photo: Douglas Buchholz

Simone Zelitch

Simone Zelitch Biography

Simone Zelitch is a graduate from MFA program at the University of Michigan. She is the author of two acclaimed novels: The Confession of Jack Straw, winner of the Hopwood Award for Major Fiction and Louisa. Her new novel Judenstaat comes out in June 2016. She has taught at Community College of Philadelphia, University of the Arts, and the University of Pennsylvania's College of General Studies

Simone Zelitch's website

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Interview

Simone Zelitch discusses the influences of Hungary on her writing, how and why she writes, and what draws her to the subject matters of her books.

Simone Zelitch (Peace Corp volunteer in Hungary 1991–92 ) is the author of The Confession of Jack Straw, published in 1991 by Black Heron Press. This novel won the University of Michigan’s Hopwood Award for Major Fiction. Next month Moses in Sinai will be published by Black Heron Press, and in September, G.P. Putnam will publish Louisa, a novel that draws upon her experiences as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Hungary. With two books coming out in 2000, we decided to interview Simone about how her Peace Corps experience influenced her novels.

The topics of your novels are wide and diverse. What draws you to the subject matter?
It’s hard to generalize. If I was going to name something that my three novels have in common, it would probably be “revolution betrayed.” It's an old story. Peasants storm London, and within the week, their king breaks every promise, and the heads of their leaders are piked on London Bridge. Moses leads the Hebrews out of Egypt, only to create a stratified society of conquerors. In my latest novel, Zionism itself is presented as a kind of failed revolution. It all comes down to a distrust of absolute answers ...

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Books by this Author

Books by Simone Zelitch at BookBrowse
Louisa jacket
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Read-Alikes

All the books below are recommended as read-alikes for Simone Zelitch but some maybe more relevant to you than others depending on which books by the author you have read and enjoyed. So look for the suggested read-alikes by title linked on the right.
How we choose read-alikes

  • Richard Askwith

    Richard Askwith

    Richard Askwith is a Northamptonshire-based journalist and author whose passions include running, outdoor adventure and the traditions and ordinary people of the English countryside.

    Richard Askwith is the author of Feet ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Louisa

    Try:
    Unbreakable
    by Richard Askwith

  • Carole Cadwalladr

    Carole Cadwalladr

    Carole Cadwalladr is a British author. Her first novel, The Family Tree, was shortlisted for the 2006 Commonwealth Writers' Prize, the Author's Club First Novel Award, theWaverton Good Read Award, and the Wales Book of the ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Louisa

    Try:
    The Family Tree
    by Carole Cadwalladr

We recommend 7 similar authors

View all 7 Read-Alikes

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