Liz Moore (1) (1983–)
Author of The God of the Woods
For other authors named Liz Moore, see the disambiguation page.
About the Author
Image credit: Liz Moore
Works by Liz Moore
Associated Works
The Decameron Project: 29 New Stories from the Pandemic (2020) — Contributor — 161 copies, 5 reviews
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1983-05-25
- Gender
- female
- Education
- Hunter College (MFA in fiction)
Barnard College [BA] - Occupations
- Assistant Professor of Writing at Holy Family University
faculty member of the MFA program in Creative Writing at Temple University
musician
novelist
screenwriter
producer - Short biography
- Liz Moore (born May 25, 1983) is an American author. After a brief time as a musician in New York City, which inspired her first novel, The Words of Every Song (2007), Moore shifted her focus to writing. She subsequently published the novels Heft in 2012 and The Unseen World in 2016. She received the 2014 Rome Prize in Literature from the American Academy in Rome, and her novel Heft was longlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. Moore grew up in Framingham, Massachusetts and received a bachelor degree from Barnard College. She received a Masters of Fine Arts in creative writing from Hunter College in 2009. She teaches in the MFA program at Temple University. Moore lives in Philadelphia with her husband and daughter.
Liz Moore is the author of four novels: The Words of Every Song, Heft, The Unseen World, and Long Bright River. A winner of the 2014 Rome Prize in Literature, she lives in Philadelphia and teaches in the MFA program in Creative Writing at Temple University. - Nationality
- USA
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
- Places of residence
- Framingham, Massachusetts, USA
New York, New York, USA - Map Location
- Pennsylvania, USA
Members
Reviews
A beautifully crafted story with characters that got under my skin
I wouldn't normally have chosen to read a novel about a morbidly obese middle-aged shut-in ex-academic and a High School student and wannabe baseball star with anger management issues but I'd heard that Liz Moore had a strong, distinctive, voice, so I tried the audiobook.
It was an excellent decision, not just because Liz Moore writes beautifully but because "Heft" works well as an audiobook. The contrasting voices of Kirby show more Heyborne and Keith Szarabajka draw an even stronger distinction between the world as seen by the monstrously fat Arthur Opp and the athletic, on-the-brink-of-manhood Kel Keller.
In "Heft", Liz Moore takes up the challenge of writing a character-driven novel that features two unsympathetic characters who are leading ordinary lives that verge on the dull. Her achievement is that, by the end of the book she had managed to tangle them in my imagination enough to make me hope on their behalf.
The novel is structured as two parallel stories of frailty, failure and loss that are up-lifted by the accuracy of their observation and the suppression of the authorial voice, which forces the reader to make their own judgements on the actions and motives of Opp and Keller.
Some of those actions are hard to watch and don't paint Keller or Opp in a positive light.
Keller's guilty anger at having to care for his sick and apparently drunk, mother and his encounter, in a room strewn with beer cans and smelling of neglect, with the man he believes may be his father, create a bleak picture.
One of the most powerful moments, for me, was Keller having sex with a girl from his old neighbourhood just because she's there and then remaining cruelly passive when he knows the hurt he has caused her. This is the kind adolescent many of us can remember being but would be ashamed to admit to. It speaks to the honesty that holds this book together.
Arthur Opp is shown as a man unable to connect to connect to the people around him and who has been corrupted by a morbid desire for food, that ultimately becomes his only source of pleasure. That Opp's life has shrunk as his body has expanded is symbolised by his inability to climb the stairs to reach the upper floor of his home.
"Heft" handles big themes: how weakness and shame corrode; how parents can damage their children; how fantasy becomes a substitute for action; how small, practical acts of kindness can kindle hope and the possibilities that open up when we set out to build "families" composed of people we care about.
Liz Moore knows how to describe the small victories and moments of kindness that make life worth living. Opp's first walk outside of his house in many years, conveyed a real sense of risk and triumph. The quiet hospitality Keller is offered by his almost-girlfriend and her family shows the impact of kindness. Both men are motivated to try to be more, to be better, by the women in their lives who can see beyond the failings and fear and the self-hatred to the men they could become with courage and love and time.
"Heft" is not a didactic book. It is not selling self-help solutions and does not offer tidy endings. If it has a message, it is: "Life is a mess. Deal with it. But deal with it with as much kindness and empathy as you can manage." show less
I wouldn't normally have chosen to read a novel about a morbidly obese middle-aged shut-in ex-academic and a High School student and wannabe baseball star with anger management issues but I'd heard that Liz Moore had a strong, distinctive, voice, so I tried the audiobook.
It was an excellent decision, not just because Liz Moore writes beautifully but because "Heft" works well as an audiobook. The contrasting voices of Kirby show more Heyborne and Keith Szarabajka draw an even stronger distinction between the world as seen by the monstrously fat Arthur Opp and the athletic, on-the-brink-of-manhood Kel Keller.
In "Heft", Liz Moore takes up the challenge of writing a character-driven novel that features two unsympathetic characters who are leading ordinary lives that verge on the dull. Her achievement is that, by the end of the book she had managed to tangle them in my imagination enough to make me hope on their behalf.
The novel is structured as two parallel stories of frailty, failure and loss that are up-lifted by the accuracy of their observation and the suppression of the authorial voice, which forces the reader to make their own judgements on the actions and motives of Opp and Keller.
Some of those actions are hard to watch and don't paint Keller or Opp in a positive light.
Keller's guilty anger at having to care for his sick and apparently drunk, mother and his encounter, in a room strewn with beer cans and smelling of neglect, with the man he believes may be his father, create a bleak picture.
One of the most powerful moments, for me, was Keller having sex with a girl from his old neighbourhood just because she's there and then remaining cruelly passive when he knows the hurt he has caused her. This is the kind adolescent many of us can remember being but would be ashamed to admit to. It speaks to the honesty that holds this book together.
Arthur Opp is shown as a man unable to connect to connect to the people around him and who has been corrupted by a morbid desire for food, that ultimately becomes his only source of pleasure. That Opp's life has shrunk as his body has expanded is symbolised by his inability to climb the stairs to reach the upper floor of his home.
"Heft" handles big themes: how weakness and shame corrode; how parents can damage their children; how fantasy becomes a substitute for action; how small, practical acts of kindness can kindle hope and the possibilities that open up when we set out to build "families" composed of people we care about.
Liz Moore knows how to describe the small victories and moments of kindness that make life worth living. Opp's first walk outside of his house in many years, conveyed a real sense of risk and triumph. The quiet hospitality Keller is offered by his almost-girlfriend and her family shows the impact of kindness. Both men are motivated to try to be more, to be better, by the women in their lives who can see beyond the failings and fear and the self-hatred to the men they could become with courage and love and time.
"Heft" is not a didactic book. It is not selling self-help solutions and does not offer tidy endings. If it has a message, it is: "Life is a mess. Deal with it. But deal with it with as much kindness and empathy as you can manage." show less
WHEEEEE! What a ride. A real gripper of a mystery/thriller. The elements are irresistible: two missing children from the same family, nearly 15 years apart; dysfunctional families with and without vast resources; the Adirondack forest, with a lake; the 1960s and 1970s, when so much was changing; rotten men, scheming women, frightened children, rebellious teenagers, escaped convicts, red herrings...I could go on. But Moore has assembled, embellished and arranged all of these familiar bits show more into a totally engrossing story that sped by. I had a theory or two, rejected what I thought were obvious misleads, totally overlooked what should have been a significant clue, and was quite satisfied with how it all wrapped up. Most fun I've had with a book in a long time. show less
This was a blend of literary mystery and historical fiction that lingers long after the final page. Set against the backdrop of a secluded summer camp, the story unfolds at a deliberate pace, immersing the reader into a tense atmosphere.
When the daughter of a wealthy family vanishes during summer camp, the community is thrown into turmoil. The disappearance echoes a similar incident that occurred fifteen years earlier, sparking rumors and unease. Moore skillfully weaves together the show more present-day mystery with the haunting past, creating a suspenseful and thought-provoking narrative.
This is not a fast-paced thriller, but rather a carefully crafted exploration of themes such as loss, grief, and the secrets that lie hidden within small towns. The author's prose and meticulous attention to detail bring the characters and setting to life, making this a truly unforgettable reading experience.
What an amazing end to my summer reading! show less
When the daughter of a wealthy family vanishes during summer camp, the community is thrown into turmoil. The disappearance echoes a similar incident that occurred fifteen years earlier, sparking rumors and unease. Moore skillfully weaves together the show more present-day mystery with the haunting past, creating a suspenseful and thought-provoking narrative.
This is not a fast-paced thriller, but rather a carefully crafted exploration of themes such as loss, grief, and the secrets that lie hidden within small towns. The author's prose and meticulous attention to detail bring the characters and setting to life, making this a truly unforgettable reading experience.
What an amazing end to my summer reading! show less
This is a very satisfying mystery. I loved the time period (the 1960s and 1970s), the setting (a summer camp in the Adirondacks), and the large and well-handled cast of characters.
In present-day 1975, thirteen year old Barbara Van Laar goes missing from summer camp. Barbara was there as a camper, but her family also owns the large home up the hill and the camp. The search for Barbara will bring up the unsatisfyingly resolved case surrounding her brother, Bear, who also disappeared in 1961 show more in the same woods. Investigator Judy Luptack, the only woman in the 1970s department, will work to crack the case and combat the sexism on the force.
There are a lot more characters and subplots - with Barbara and Bear's parents, with the camp director and her father, with other campers and counselors, and with local townspeople. Oh, and an escaped serial killer.
OK, it's starting to sound crazy and not very good as I write about it, but I promise it works and I liked it a lot. I was a little unenthused by the very end, but other than that I think the book holds together well and certainly kept my attention. I like Liz Moore's mysteries and I'll continue to read them. show less
In present-day 1975, thirteen year old Barbara Van Laar goes missing from summer camp. Barbara was there as a camper, but her family also owns the large home up the hill and the camp. The search for Barbara will bring up the unsatisfyingly resolved case surrounding her brother, Bear, who also disappeared in 1961 show more in the same woods. Investigator Judy Luptack, the only woman in the 1970s department, will work to crack the case and combat the sexism on the force.
There are a lot more characters and subplots - with Barbara and Bear's parents, with the camp director and her father, with other campers and counselors, and with local townspeople. Oh, and an escaped serial killer.
OK, it's starting to sound crazy and not very good as I write about it, but I promise it works and I liked it a lot. I was a little unenthused by the very end, but other than that I think the book holds together well and certainly kept my attention. I like Liz Moore's mysteries and I'll continue to read them. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 5
- Also by
- 1
- Members
- 8,794
- Popularity
- #2,720
- Rating
- 4.0
- Reviews
- 423
- ISBNs
- 107
- Languages
- 11
- Favorited
- 6