Falconer (novel)

This article is about the John Cheever novel. For the Mary Shelley novel, see Falkner (novel).

First edition cover (Knopf)
Cover design by R. D. Scudellari

Falconer is a 1977 novel by American short-story writer and novelist John Cheever. It tells the story of Ezekiel Farragut, a university professor and drug addict who is serving time in Falconer State Prison for the murder of his brother. Farragut struggles to retain his humanity in the prison environment, and begins an affair with a fellow prisoner.

Time magazine included the novel in its TIME 100 Best English-language Novels from 1923 to 2005.

Adaptations

In 2009, Audible.com produced an audio version of Falconer, narrated by Jay Snyder, as part of its Modern Vanguard line of audiobooks.

In Pop Culture

Falconer is the novel George Costanza reads in the 1992 Seinfeld episode "The Cheever Letters".