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Sign up todayThe Morels
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Learn moreThe Morels—Arthur, Penny, and Will—are a happy family of three living in New York City. So why would Arthur choose to publish a book that brutally rips his tightly knit family unit apart at the seams? Arthur's old schoolmate Chris, who narrates the book, is fascinated with this very question as he becomes accidentally reacquainted with Arthur. A single, aspiring filmmaker who works in a movie theater, Chris envies everything Arthur has, from his beautiful wife to his charming son to his seemingly effortless creativity. But things are not always what they seem.
The Morels takes a unique look at the power of art, literature, music, and film in particular—and challenges us as readers to think about some fascinating questions to which there are no easy answers. Where is the line between art and obscenity, between truth and fiction, between revolutionary thinking and brainless shock value, between craftsmanship and commerce? Is it possible to escape the past? Can you save your family by destroying it?
Christopher Hacker received a BA in music composition from the University of Michigan and an MFA from Columbia University. His stories have appeared in Quarterly West and the Rake, and he was a finalist for a Pushcart Prize in 2009. He currently lives in Washington, DC, with his wife.
Charlie Thurston is an actor and Earphones Award–winning narrator. He holds an MFA in acting from Brown University / Trinity Rep and has appeared on stages across the country with Trinity Repertory Company, Chautauqua Theater Company, Creede Rep, and at Riverside Theatre and Redmoon Theater, among others. His favorite roles include Edgar in The Completely Fictional—Utterly True—Final Strange Tale of Edgar Allan Poe, Stephen in The Long Christmas Ride Home, Tuzenbach in The Three Sisters, and Tony in You Can’t Take It with You.
Reviews
“Captivating. The Morels does a lot of heavy lifting, asking big questions about art, life, and family, transforming this ambitious debut into something really special.”
“The Morels is always entertaining.”
“The Morels asks big questions. What is art? What risks must be taken to grab our attention? Where is the line between truth and fiction? Hacker’s story kept me up at night…to find out what would happen, and contemplating these questions…I eagerly await his next book.”
“Audacious, thought-provoking…One of the top first novels of the year. The author spins out the story at a fast clip, creating a believable and entertaining tale. Woven into the fabric of the work are discussions of the function of art in society, the difficulty of arriving at the truth, and a thoughtful, compassionate detailing of the social and personal repercussions of individual actions and beliefs.”
“An eloquent treatise on the rights of artists to exploit their personal histories—and why they do so, and at what cost…A fine debut.”
“In Hacker’s engaging debut, eccentric author Arthur Morel writes a novel that pushes the envelope of art-for-art’s-sake beyond anyone’s capacity to understand, much less forgive…Whether a reader is intrigued by the philosophical questions or not, this family’s plight makes for a marvelous read.”
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