A Visit From the Goon Squad
Encyclopedia
A Visit From the Goon Squad (2010) is a work of fiction
by American author Jennifer Egan
. It won the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award
for Fiction, and the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
. It is being adapted by HBO into a television series.
Most of the stories in A Visit from the Goon Squad concern Bennie Salazar, an aging rock music executive, his one-time assistant, Sasha, and their various friends and associates. The book follows a large cast of mostly self-destructive characters as they grow older and fate sends them in directions they did not intend to go. The stories shift back and forth in time, moving from the late sixties to the present day and into the near future. Many of the stories take place in or around New York City
, although some are set in California
, Italy
and Africa
.
, while others have described it as a collection of linked short stories
. A Visit From the Goon Squad is composed of 13 chapters, most of which can be read as individual stories, and it does not focus on any single central character or narrative arc. In addition, many of the chapters in the book were originally published individually as short stories in magazines such as The New Yorker
and Harper's. However, all of the stories share a set of common characters and repeating themes. In an interview with Salon.com's Laura Miller, Egan stated that she leaned towards describing the book as a novel rather than a short story collection.
, right?", referring to the way that time and fate cruelly rob most of the book's characters of their youth, innocence and success. As Bosco complains: "How did I go from being a rock star to being a fat fuck no one cares about?" Some of the book's characters do end up finding happiness, but it is always a limited happiness, and it is rarely in the form that they intended. In an interview, Egan explained that "time is the stealth goon, the one you ignore because you are so busy worrying about the goons right in front of you."
Many of the book's characters work in the music industry, particularly the rock music
business. Rock and Roll, with its emphasis on youth culture, plays into the book's themes of aging and the loss of innocence. As Egan says, "my 9-year-old loves Lady Gaga
and refers to Madonna
as ‘old school’. There’s no way to avoid becoming part of the past." Rock music was also central to the marketing push behind the book, although the actual text does not focus directly on musicians or music making. Egan said she knew Rock and Roll only as a consumer at the time she began writing the book and had to do a lot of research on the subject.
Egan said the story was inspired by two sources: Proust's In Search of Lost Time
, and HBO's The Sopranos
. It is a novel of memory and kinship, continuity and disconnection.
and the National Book Critics Circle Award
for Fiction. The Pulitzer Prize Board noted that the novel was an "inventive investigation of growing up and growing old in the digital age, displaying a big-hearted curiosity about cultural change at warp speed". In commenting on her Pulitzer, NPR
critic Jonathan Bastian noted that "Egan is the one of the most recent and successful examples of a trend that has been steadily seeping into the world of contemporary literature." The unusual format of the novel, taking place across multiple platforms, has led some critics to label the novel "post-post modern". Many critics were impressed by some of Egan's experiments with structure, such as a section formatted like a PowerPoint printout.
Other honors included:
will be executive producer and Jocelyn Hays Simpson will be co-exec producer. Egan cited HBO's The Sopranos
as one of her inspirations.
Fiction
Fiction is the form of any narrative or informative work that deals, in part or in whole, with information or events that are not factual, but rather, imaginary—that is, invented by the author. Although fiction describes a major branch of literary work, it may also refer to theatrical,...
by American author Jennifer Egan
Jennifer Egan
Jennifer Egan is an American novelist and short story writer who lives in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. Egan's novel A Visit From the Goon Squad won the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and National Book Critics Circle Award for fiction....
. It won the 2010 National Book Critics Circle Award
National Book Critics Circle Award
The National Book Critics Circle Award is an annual award given by the National Book Critics Circle to promote the finest books and reviews published in English....
for Fiction, and the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
Pulitzer Prize for Fiction
The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction has been awarded for distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life. It originated as the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel, which was awarded between 1918 and 1947.-1910s:...
. It is being adapted by HBO into a television series.
Most of the stories in A Visit from the Goon Squad concern Bennie Salazar, an aging rock music executive, his one-time assistant, Sasha, and their various friends and associates. The book follows a large cast of mostly self-destructive characters as they grow older and fate sends them in directions they did not intend to go. The stories shift back and forth in time, moving from the late sixties to the present day and into the near future. Many of the stories take place in or around New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, although some are set in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
.
Novel or short story collection?
Because of its unusual narrative structure, some critics have characterized the book as a novelNovel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
, while others have described it as a collection of linked short stories
Short Stories
Short Stories may refer to:*A plural for Short story*Short Stories , an American pulp magazine published from 1890-1959*Short Stories, a 1954 collection by O. E...
. A Visit From the Goon Squad is composed of 13 chapters, most of which can be read as individual stories, and it does not focus on any single central character or narrative arc. In addition, many of the chapters in the book were originally published individually as short stories in magazines such as The New Yorker
The New Yorker
The New Yorker is an American magazine of reportage, commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, satire, cartoons and poetry published by Condé Nast...
and Harper's. However, all of the stories share a set of common characters and repeating themes. In an interview with Salon.com's Laura Miller, Egan stated that she leaned towards describing the book as a novel rather than a short story collection.
Themes
"Goon squads" were originally groups of violent thugs who would beat up anyone opposed to certain labor unions and corrupt political machines. Later the term "goon" came to refer more generally to any violent thug, and this is where the book draws its central metaphor. In one story, a character named Bosco declares: "Time's a goonGoon
A goon is someone that is employed as someone's personal enforcer, such as either a personal bodyguard or a ruffian who is kept on staff to intimidate or assault people.Goon may also refer to:*A performer in The Goon Show...
, right?", referring to the way that time and fate cruelly rob most of the book's characters of their youth, innocence and success. As Bosco complains: "How did I go from being a rock star to being a fat fuck no one cares about?" Some of the book's characters do end up finding happiness, but it is always a limited happiness, and it is rarely in the form that they intended. In an interview, Egan explained that "time is the stealth goon, the one you ignore because you are so busy worrying about the goons right in front of you."
Many of the book's characters work in the music industry, particularly the rock music
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
business. Rock and Roll, with its emphasis on youth culture, plays into the book's themes of aging and the loss of innocence. As Egan says, "my 9-year-old loves Lady Gaga
Lady GaGa
Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta , better known by her stage name Lady Gaga, is an American singer and songwriter. Born and raised in New York City, she primarily studied at the Convent of the Sacred Heart and briefly attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts before withdrawing to...
and refers to Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
as ‘old school’. There’s no way to avoid becoming part of the past." Rock music was also central to the marketing push behind the book, although the actual text does not focus directly on musicians or music making. Egan said she knew Rock and Roll only as a consumer at the time she began writing the book and had to do a lot of research on the subject.
Egan said the story was inspired by two sources: Proust's In Search of Lost Time
In Search of Lost Time
In Search of Lost Time or Remembrance of Things Past is a novel in seven volumes by Marcel Proust. His most prominent work, it is popularly known for its considerable length and the notion of involuntary memory, the most famous example being the "episode of the madeleine." The novel is widely...
, and HBO's The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
. It is a novel of memory and kinship, continuity and disconnection.
Critical reception
The novel won the Pulitzer Prize for FictionPulitzer Prize for Fiction
The Pulitzer Prize for Fiction has been awarded for distinguished fiction by an American author, preferably dealing with American life. It originated as the Pulitzer Prize for the Novel, which was awarded between 1918 and 1947.-1910s:...
and the National Book Critics Circle Award
National Book Critics Circle Award
The National Book Critics Circle Award is an annual award given by the National Book Critics Circle to promote the finest books and reviews published in English....
for Fiction. The Pulitzer Prize Board noted that the novel was an "inventive investigation of growing up and growing old in the digital age, displaying a big-hearted curiosity about cultural change at warp speed". In commenting on her Pulitzer, NPR
NPR
NPR, formerly National Public Radio, is a privately and publicly funded non-profit membership media organization that serves as a national syndicator to a network of 900 public radio stations in the United States. NPR was created in 1970, following congressional passage of the Public Broadcasting...
critic Jonathan Bastian noted that "Egan is the one of the most recent and successful examples of a trend that has been steadily seeping into the world of contemporary literature." The unusual format of the novel, taking place across multiple platforms, has led some critics to label the novel "post-post modern". Many critics were impressed by some of Egan's experiments with structure, such as a section formatted like a PowerPoint printout.
Other honors included:
- Los Angeles Times Book Prize, winner (Fiction, 2010)
- Salon Book Award, winner (Fiction, 2010)
- The Tournament of Books, winner (2011)
- PEN/Faulkner Award, finalist (2011)
- Publishers WeeklyPublishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
’s Top 10 Best Books (2010) - New York Times Best Books of the Year (2010)
- Time Magazine's Best Books of the Year (2010)
- Egan was awarded a Time 100 Most Influential PeopleTime 100Time 100 is an annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world, as assembled by Time. First published in 1999 as a result of a debate among several academics, the list has become an annual event.-History and format:...
in 2011 because of the novel. - New York Times Notable Book of the Year (Fiction & Poetry, 2010)
- ALA Notable Book (2011)
HBO series
On April 20, 2011, two days after the Pulitzer win, Egan announced a deal with HBO for a television series adaptation. Groundswell Productions' Michael LondonMichael London
Michael London is an American film producer who owns Groundswell Productions. He has produced over 20 films including Sideways, The Visitor, Win Win, and Smart People. The film Sideways was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture in 2005...
will be executive producer and Jocelyn Hays Simpson will be co-exec producer. Egan cited HBO's The Sopranos
The Sopranos
The Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
as one of her inspirations.
External links
- Review by Ron CharlesRon CharlesRon Charles is deputy editor and a weekly fiction critic of The Washington Post "Book World", the book review section of the Post...
, The Washington PostThe Washington PostThe Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
, June 16, 2010 - Review by Janet MaslinJanet MaslinJanet Maslin is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for The New York Times. She served as the Times film critic from 1977–1999.- Biography :...
, The New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book ReviewThe New York Times Book Review is a weekly paper-magazine supplement to The New York Times in which current non-fiction and fiction books are reviewed. It is one of the most influential and widely read book review publications in the industry. The offices are located near Times Square in New York...
, June 20, 2010