Rafael Frumkin
Rafael Frumkin | |
|---|---|
 Rafael Frumkin at the 2023 Texas Book Festival | |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Carleton College, Northwestern University, University of Iowa |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Notable works | The Comedown |
| Website | |
| rfrumkin | |
Rafael Frumkin is an American novelist and the author of The Comedown[1] and Confidence (2023). Frumkin is a trans man.[2] The Comedown, which he wrote as Rebekah Frumkin, is being developed as a Starz TV series by Regina King and Freddie Highmore.[3]
Education
[edit]Frumkin obtained his bachelor’s degree at Carleton College, an MFA from the Iowa Writers' Workshop and a master's at the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.[4] He is assistant professor of English at Southern Illinois University.[5]
Literary career
[edit]Frumkin's debut novel, The Comedown, was published by Henry Holt & Company in 2018. The New York Times Book Review wrote:
The book isn’t necessarily interested in solving its central mystery; what it wants to do instead is emphatically contextualize it. Frumkin doesn’t simply explain a crime; she examines every life the crime touched. Which means a lot of digression. And this might be tiresome if the digressions weren’t so good, so fully realized and meticulously, skillfully rendered.[6]
For The Los Angeles Review of Books, "The scope of The Comedown is such that everyone is in close proximity to a tragedy at all times. Frumkin’s juxtaposition makes it clear that what these characters do to one another in the book is both awful and perfectly human."[7] The Millions called it "a fundamentally comic novel (and a very funny one at that)", writing: "All of her characters are rendered with depth, portrayed with amusement and affection. Frumkin’s witty, third-person voice is as comfortable with the drug-dealing Reggie Marshall as it is his Melville scholar wife, Tasha."[8]
Frumkin's second novel, Confidence, his first since transitioning and changing names from Rebekah to Rafael,[9] was published by Simon & Schuster in 2023. The Washington Post called it "a propulsive, cheeky, eat-the-rich page-turner to satisfy the craving for a well-crafted caper."[10]
Publications
[edit]- The Comedown (Henry Holt & Company, 2018)
- Confidence (Simon & Schuster, 2023)
- Bugsy & Other Stories (Simon & Schuster, 2024)
References
[edit]- ^ Iversen, Kristin (17 April 2018). "'The Comedian' Is Like an SSRI For After You Read 'Infinite Jest'". Nylon. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Frumkin, Rafael (April 3, 2023). "The Beauty of the Trans Body: Building a World to Feel Safe In". Literary Hub. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (3 February 2023). "Regina King & Freddie Highmore Executive Producing 'The Comedown' Series Adaptation In Works At Starz". Deadline. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Morgan, Adam (17 April 2018). "Rebekah Frumkin Will Change the Way You See Cleveland". The Chicago Review of Books. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ "RAFAEL FRUMKIN". Southern Illinois University. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Hill, Nathan (21 June 2018). "This Novel Opens With a Suicide and a Suitcase of Cash. Then Things Get Really Interesting". The New York Times. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Babinder, Bradley (8 May 2018). "Family Matters: On Rebekah Frumkin's "The Comedown"". The Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Ridker, Andrew (18 April 2018). "Narrative Is Back: On Rebekah Frumkin's 'The Comedown'". The Millions. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ Frumkin, Rafael (3 April 2023). "The Beauty of the Trans Body: Building a World to Feel Safe In". Literary Hub. Retrieved July 11, 2023.
- ^ McQuiston, Casey. "'Confidence' skewers the rich in a most satisfying, clever way". The Washington Post. Retrieved July 11, 2023.