Lazarus Man
 | |
| Author | Richard Price (writer) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Literary fiction |
| Publisher | Farrar, Straus and Giroux |
Publication date | November 12, 2024 |
| Publication place | United States |
| ISBN | 978-0-374-16815-5 |
Lazarus Man is a 2024 novel by Richard Price. It was released on November 12, 2024.
Synopsis
[edit]After the collapse of an apartment building in East Harlem in 2008, the surrounding neighborhood struggles to come to terms with the disaster.
Development
[edit]Price was inspired to write the novel after the 2014 East Harlem gas explosion, which caused multiple buildings to collapse and killed eight people.[1][2] Price lived several blocks away from the collapsed building and spent time observing the scene.[1] In an interview on NPR's Fresh Air, Price said that he wrote the bulk of the novel during the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
Publication history
[edit]Lazarus Man was published in the United States by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.[4] It was released on November 12, 2024.[4]
Reception
[edit]According to review aggregator Book Marks, Lazarus Man received mostly positive reviews upon release.[5] Associated Press opined that the novel benefited from Price's screenwriting experience, noting that the character shifts were easy to follow and praising the unconventional story structured.[6] The Boston Globe wrote that the book's characters were diverse and that the novel highlighted the "racial and religious identities" present in New York City.[7] The Los Angeles Times and The San Francisco Chronicle concurred, with the former complimenting the novel's dialogue and the latter naming Price "the bard of everyday life in America."[8][9] The Atlantic was also positive, noting connections between the novel's themes and the philosophy of Jean-Paul Sartre.[10]
Laura Miller, writing for Slate, praised the interactions between the characters and noted that the novel's lack of plot allowed for the characters to be explored in more depth.[11] Miller positively compared the book to Deacon King Kong by James McBride.[11] The Wall Street Journal similarly praised the characters.[12] The Washington Post's review, written by Ron Charles, praised the novel's structure and Price's writing for giving each character an individual voice.[13] Kirkus Reviews was positive, positively describing the prose and describing the novel as being "kinder and gentler" than Price's previous work.[4] Publishers Weekly published a starred review praising Price's attention to detail in describing the street life of New York City.[14] Booklist was also positive.[15]
By contrast, the The New York Times Book Review panned the book, directing mild praise at the book's characters but criticizing the tone and overall structure of the book for [elid]ing the sense that there's no story."[16]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Parker, Danielle (2024-11-09). ""Lazarus Man" by Richard Price is a bonus read from the CBS New York Book Club". CBS News. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ "Sunday marks 9 years since deadly East Harlem gas explosion". CBS News. 2023-03-12. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Terry Gross (2024-11-14). "Richard Price explores second chances, and rising from the rubble in 'Lazarus Man'". Fresh Air (Podcast). NPR. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ a b c "Lazarus Man". Kirkus Reviews. 2024-07-10. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ "Lazarus Man". Book Marks. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ Merrill, Rob (2024-11-14). "Book Review: Richard Price returns with another portrait of urban America, 'Lazarus Man'". Associated Press. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ Cain, Hamilton (2024-11-06). "Richard Price's 'Lazarus Man' asks what you'd do with a second chance". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ Haber, Leigh (2024-10-30). "Richard Price returns with a story of urban disaster, grit, hustle and even hope". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Vognar, Chris (2024-11-08). "Review: In can't-put-down 'Lazarus Man,' the soul of a city is revealed by its weary denizens". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ Harper, Tyler Austin (2024-11-12). "Richard Price's Radical, Retrograde Novel". The Atlantic. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ a b Miller, Laura (2024-11-11). "The Great New York Novelist Is Back". Slate. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ Sacks, Sam (2024-11-08). "Fiction: Richard Price's 'Lazarus Man'". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 2024-11-08.
- ^ Charles, Ron (2024-11-07). "'Lazarus Man' is a fast-paced but thoughtful urban thriller". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-11-19.
- ^ "Lazarus Man". Publishers Weekly. 2024-08-20. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ "Lazarus Man". Booklist. 2024-10-01. Retrieved 2024-11-18.
- ^ Lorentzen, Christian (2024-11-15). "Richard Price's New Novel Is Full of Color but Short on Drama". The New York Times Book Review. Retrieved 2024-11-18.