The Gold Bug Variations
| The Gold Bug Variations | |
|---|---|
 1st edition |
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| Author(s) | Richard Powers |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | William Morrow & Company |
| Publication date | August 1, 1991 |
| Media type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| ISBN | ISBN 0-688-09891-6 (first edition, hardback) |
| OCLC Number | 22665566 |
| Dewey Decimal | 813/.54 20 |
| LC Classification | PS3566.O92 G65 1991 |
The Gold Bug Variations is a novel by American writer Richard Powers, first released in 1991.
[edit] Plot introduction
The novel intertwines the discovery of the chemical structure of DNA with the musicality of Johann Sebastian Bach's harpsichord composition, the Goldberg Variations. A similar theme is explored by Douglas Hofstadter in his 1979 book Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. The title also alludes to Edgar Allan Poe's 1843 short story "The Gold-Bug", which is also incorporated in the plot of the novel.
The plot hinges on two love affairs: the first, set in the 1950s, between two scientists intent on discovering the mysteries of DNA; the second, in the 1980s, between two lovers who befriend the scientist featured in the novel's flashbacks.
[edit] Awards
The Gold Bug Variations has received the following awards:
- Time magazine Book of the Year, 1991
- Publishers Weekly Best Books of 1991
- Vrij Nederland Best Books of 1991
- New York Times Notable Book, 1991
- De Morgen Best Book of 1991 (named in 1999, in a compilation of the best books each year over the last half century)
- Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, 1991
[edit] External links
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: The Gold Bug Variations |
- Bibliography of editions of Gold Bug Variations.
- Listing of reviews and writings about Gold Bug Variations.
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