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Staff Pick
Like a smashed mirror, Gayl Jones’ The Birdcatcher is reflecting so many things, all at once, usually in pieces. When I finished, I felt like I had just read three books, all in conversation with each other, and I was just glad I got to overhear their brilliant back and forth. Recommended By Keith M., Powells.com
Synopses & Reviews
"Gayl Jones's work represents a watershed in American literature.
—Imani Perry
Legendary writer Gayl Jones returns with a stunning new novel about Black American artists in exile
Gayl Jones, the novelist Toni Morrison discovered decades ago and Tayari Jones recently called her favorite writer, has been described as one of the great literary writers of the 20th century. Now, for the first time in over 20 years, Jones is publishing again. In the wake of her long-awaited fifth novel, Palmares, The Birdcatcher is another singular achievement, a return to the circles of her National Book Award finalist, The Healing.
Set primarily on the island of Ibiza, the story is narrated by the writer Amanda Wordlaw, whose closest friend, a gifted sculptor named Catherine Shuger, is repeatedly institutionalized for trying to kill a husband who never leaves her. The three form a quirky triangle on the white-washed island.
A study in Black women's creative expression, and the intensity of their relationships, this work from Jones shows off her range and insight into the vicissitudes of all human nature — rewarding longtime fans and bringing her talent to a new generation of readers.
Review
“Jones continues her marvelous run after last year's Pulitzer finalist Palmares with the gloriously demented story of an artist who keeps trying to kill her husband....It ought to be required reading.”
Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Review
“Jones' mercurial, often inscrutable body of work delivers yet another change-up to readers' expectations.”
Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Gayl Jones was born in Kentucky in 1949. She attended Connecticut College and Brown University, and has taught at Wellesley and the University of Michigan. Her landmark books include Corregidora, Eva's Man, and The Healing, the last a National Book Award finalist and New York Times Notable Book of the Year. Her latest book, Palmares, was named a New York Times Editors' Choice and has received countless other accolades.
Helene Atwan on PowellsBooks.Blog
Gayl Jones, the highly acclaimed author who was first “discovered" and mentored by
Toni Morrison, has twice disappeared from our sight. The first time was after a stellar launch as one of America’s most daring and distinctive literary lights, after two brilliant novels...
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