Jump to content

Adam Levin

Add links
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the American businessman, see Adam K. Levin. For others of a similar name, see Adam Levine (disambiguation).

Adam Levin
Born1976/77
OccupationWriter
LanguageEnglish
NationalityAmerican
EducationUniversity of Chicago (MA) Syracuse University (MFA)
GenreLiterary fiction
Years active2010–present
SpouseCamille Bordas

Adam Levin (b. 1976/77[1]) is an American fiction author. His short fiction has been published in places like The New Yorker,[2] Timothy McSweeney's Quarterly Concern, and Tin House. He won the NYPL Young Lions Fiction Award in 2011[3], received a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship[4], and was a finalist for the 2010 National Jewish Book Award[5].

Early life

[edit]

Levin grew up in Buffalo Grove, Illinois, and went to high school at Roycemore School in Evanston. He attended the University of Illinois at Chicago and the University of Chicago, where he received an MA in clinical social work.[6][7] He received an MFA from Syracuse University, where he studied with George Saunders.[1]

Career

[edit]

Levin's first novel, The Instructions, was published in 2010 by McSweeney's. It was selected by Powell's Indispensable Book Club[8] and The Rumpus Book Club.[9] Some reviews drew comparisons with David Foster Wallace and Philip Roth.[10] Some reviewers praised the dark humor, the depth of the setting, and the commentary on Jewish identity.[11] Some reviewers criticized the book's length (more than 1000 pages), while others praised it.[12][13][14][15][16] The Instructions was translated into French (Inculte) and published in France in 2011.

In 2012, McSweeney's published Levin's collection of short stories, Hot Pink.[17] His second novel, Bubblegum, was released on April 14, 2020.[18][needs update] It was followed in 2022 by his third novel, Mount Chicago.

Personal life

[edit]

Levin is married to writer Camille Bordas, who he met at a reception for the Prix du roman Fnac.[19] He worked as a therapist.[6]

Bibliography

[edit]

Novels

[edit]
  • —— (2010). The Instructions. San Francisco: McSweeney's. ISBN 9781934781821.
  • —— (2020). Bubblegum. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 9780385544962.
  • —— (2022). Mount Chicago. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 9780385548243.

Short fiction

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b Borrelli, Christopher (26 October 2010). "Thinking big: Adam Levin's 1,000-page debut novel 'The Instructions' is bold, fast, funny and ambitious — not unlike its author". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 6 March 2014.
  2. ^ Levin, Adam (13 April 2025). ""Jenny Annie Fanny Addie," by Adam Levin". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Retrieved 19 June 2025.
  3. ^ "Young Lions Award List of Winners and Finalists". Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  4. ^ "Adam Levin". Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  5. ^ "National Jewish Book Awards". Retrieved 14 April 2026.
  6. ^ a b Davidson, Willing (13 April 2025). "Adam Levin on How to Exacerbate Trauma". The New Yorker. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  7. ^ Adamczyk, Laura (21 November 2013). "What would Skinner say?". UChicago Magazine. Retrieved 24 April 2026.
  8. ^ Hustvedt, Siri. "Powell's Books Blog". Powells.com. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  9. ^ "The Rumpus Book Club Interviews Adam Levin". The Rumpus.net. 24 November 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  10. ^ Levin, Adam (29 October 2010). "The Instructions". Bnreview.barnesandnoble.com. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  11. ^ "[Interview] Adam Levin - Boys Will Be Boys - Standards and More". Standardsandmore.fr. 13 February 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  12. ^ Abigail Deutsch (14 November 2010). "'The Instructions,' by Adam Levin - SFGate". Articles.sfgate.com. Archived from the original on 20 November 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  13. ^ Michael H. Miller. "A Very Long History of Very Brief Violence: Adam Levin's Brutal Comedy of Manners | the New York Observer". The New York Observer. Archived from the original on 8 December 2010. Retrieved 16 January 2011.. New York Observer, October 26, 2010.
  14. ^ "A middle-school war, waged with chutzpah". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  15. ^ JOSHUA COHEN (5 November 2010). "Book Review - The Instructions - By Adam Levin - The New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  16. ^ Kamer, Foster (20 October 2010). "Adam Levin's New Jewish Epic". Village Voice. Archived from the original on 23 October 2010. Retrieved 28 December 2016.
  17. ^ "The McSweeney's Store - Hot Pink". Archived from the original on 3 April 2013.
  18. ^ "Bubblegum by Adam Levin: 9780525566489 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books".
  19. ^ Tarun, Parker (2020). "Interview with Camille Bordas". Washington Square Review. Retrieved 25 March 2026.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Adam_Levin&oldid=1351238189"