Nirvana Is Here: A Novel

by Aaron Hamburger

Overview

WINNER, BRONZE MEDAL, FOREWORD REVIEWS 2019 INDIE AWARD For Best LGBTQ+ Fiction
For Ari Silverman, the past has never really passed. After 20 years, the trauma from a childhood assault resurfaces as he grapples with the fate of his ex-husband, a colleague accused of sexually harassing a student. To gain perspective, Ari arranges to reconnect with his high school crush, Justin Jackson, a bold step which forces him to reflect on their relationship in the segregated suburbs of Detroit during the 1990s and the secrets they still share. 

An honest story about recovery and coping with both past and present, framed by the meteoric rise and fall of the band Nirvana and the wide-reaching scope of the #metoo movement, Nirvana is Here explores issues of identity, race, sex, and family with both poignancy and unexpected humor. Deftly told intertwining stories with rich, real characters are reminiscent of the sensuality and haunting nostalgia of André Aciman’s Call Me By Your Name blended with the raw emotion of Kurt Cobain’s lyrics. 

Written by award-winning writer Aaron Hamburger, Nirvana Is Here is “a wonder of a book,” according to acclaimed novelist Lauren Grodstein (Our Short History). “As a Jewish Gen-Xer, the novel reminded me exactly of who I once was—and all that I still want to be. . . . a brilliant accomplishment.”

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781941110775
Publisher:	Three Rooms Press
Publication date:	05/14/2019
Pages:	380
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.90(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Aaron Hamburger is the author of a story collection titled The View from Stalin's Head (Random House), winner of the Rome Prize from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. His second book, the novel Faith for Beginners (Random House), was nominated for a Lambda Literary Award. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, O, the Oprah Magazine, Details, The Village Voice, Poets & Writers,Tin House,  Out, Michigan Quarterly Review, The Forward and numerous other publications. In addition, he has also won fellowships from Yaddo, Djerassi, the Civitella Ranieri Foundation, and the Edward F. Albee Foundation as well as first prize in the Dornstein Contest for Young Jewish Writers. He has taught creative writing at Columbia University, the George Washington University, New York University, Brooklyn College, and the Stonecoast MFA Program. He currently resides in Washington, D.C.

Editorial Reviews

for the debut novel Faith for Beginners
"Consistently amusing, particularly when Hamburger offers barbed observations about the banalities of tourist culture.” —The New York Times

"A knockout of a novel." —Frontiers Magazine (chosen as one of the top five books of 2005)

"A hilarious spin on the ancient travel-as-self-discovery formula." —Newsday

“Highly recommended for anyone who is drawn to stories of family affected by the global political context of everyday life.” —Booklist

“Hamburger goes further than witty satire . . . When the plot takes a dark turn he demonstrates that he's capable of taking on global issues.” —Publishers Weekly

for the short story collection The View from Stalin’s Head
"The stuff of a Czech fairy tale.” —The New York Times Book Review

"Laugh-out-loud funny." —Los Angeles Times

“In language that's both understated and visceral, Hamburger skillfully distills those moments when his characters experience crucial identity shifts.” —Booklist

“Both understated and visceral, Hamburger skillfully distills those moments when his characters experience crucial identity shifts.” —Publishers Weekly

From the Publisher