Jim Dodge (born 1945) is an American

novelist A novelist is an author or writer of novels, though often novelists also write in other genres of both fiction and non-fiction. Some novelists are professional novelists, thus make a living wage, living writing novels and other fiction, while other ...

and

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

whose works combine themes of

folklore Folklore is the body of expressive culture shared by a particular group of people, culture or subculture. This includes oral traditions such as Narrative, tales, myths, legends, proverbs, Poetry, poems, jokes, and other oral traditions. This also ...

and

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

, set in a timeless present. He has published three novels—''Fup'', ''Not Fade Away,'' and ''Stone Junction''—and a collection of poetry and prose, ''Rain on the River''.

Biography

Dodge was born in 1945 and grew up as an

Air Force brat In the United States, a military brat (also known by various "brat" derivatives) is the child of a parent or parents serving full-time in the United States Armed Forces, whether current or former. The term ''military brat'' can also refer to the ...

. As an adult he spent many years living on an almost self-sufficient commune in West

Sonoma County, California Sonoma County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 488,863. Its seat of government and largest city is Santa Rosa. Sonoma County comprises the Santa Rosa-Petaluma ...

. He has had many jobs, including apple picker, carpet layer, teacher,

professional gambler Advantage gambling, or advantage play, refers to legal methods used to gain an advantage while gambling, in contrast to cheating. The term usually refers to house-banked casino games, but can also refer to games played against other players, su ...

shepherd A shepherd is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations; it exists in many parts of the globe, and it is an important part of Pastoralism, pastoralist animal husbandry. ...

, woodcutter, and environmental restorer. He received his

Master of Fine Arts A Master of Fine Arts (MFA or M.F.A.) is a terminal degree in fine arts, including visual arts, creative writing, graphic design, photography, filmmaking, dance, theatre, other performing arts and in some cases, theatre management or arts admi ...

in Creative Writing/Poetry from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (U of I, UIowa, or Iowa) is a public university, public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized int ...

Writers Workshop in 1969. He has been the director of the Creative Writing program in the English Department at

Humboldt State University California State Polytechnic University, Humboldt (Cal Poly Humboldt or Humboldt) is a public university in Arcata, California. It is one of Cal Poly (disambiguation), three polytechnic universities in the California State University (CSU) sys ...

Arcata, California Arcata (; ; ) is a city adjacent to the Arcata Bay (northern) portion of Humboldt Bay (United States), Humboldt Bay in Humboldt County, California, United States. At the 2010 United States Census, 2020 census, Arcata's population was 18,857. A ...

since 1995. He lives in Manila, California with his wife and son. Some of Dodge's nonfiction essays focus on

bioregionalism Bioregionalism is a philosophy that suggests that political, cultural, and economic systems are more sustainable and just if they are organized around naturally defined areas called '' bioregions'' (similar to ''ecoregions''). Bioregions are d ...

Books

*''Fup'' (1983), City Miner Books . A duck, named Fup, lives on a farm with an old man who believes he is immortal due to the homemade

whiskey Whisky or whiskey is a type of liquor made from Fermentation in food processing, fermented grain mashing, mash. Various grains (which may be Malting, malted) are used for different varieties, including barley, Maize, corn, rye, and wheat. Whisky ...

he drinks. The recipe for the whiskey, also known as "Ol' Death Whisper", was bestowed upon him by a dying Indian. *''Not Fade Away'' (1987). "Floorboard" George Gastin is part of an insurance scam to wreck a pure white, mint condition '59 Cadillac originally intended as a gift for

The Big Bopper Jiles Perry Richardson Jr. (October 24, 1930 – February 3, 1959), better known by his stage name The Big Bopper, was an American musician and disc jockey. His best-known compositions include " Chantilly Lace," " Running Bear", and " White Ligh ...

as a token of an admirer's love. Floorboard George has other ideas and when he disappears with the car, gangsters and cops are soon in hot pursuit. On the road he meets crazy characters, hitch-hikers and demented preachers as he covers many miles—and states of mind—in his quest to find the true spirit of

rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...

. *''Stone Junction'' (1990). Daniel Pearse's journey from childhood to adulthood amid magic, mayhem and mysticism all guided by a mysterious organization named AMO, the Alliance of Magicians and Outlaws. A series of apprenticeships teaches Daniel meditation, safecracking, poker, and the art of becoming invisible. The first edition has a blurb by

Thomas Pynchon Thomas Ruggles Pynchon Jr. ( , ; born May 8, 1937) is an American novelist noted for his dense and complex novels. His fiction and non-fiction writings encompass a vast array of subject matter, Literary genre, genres and Theme (narrative), th ...

on the dust jacket. The 1998 edition includes a more lengthy Pynchon introduction. *''Rain on the River'' (2002),

Grove Press Grove Press is an American publishing imprint that was founded in 1947. Imprints include: Black Cat, Evergreen, Venus Library, and Zebra. Barney Rosset purchased the company in 1951 and turned it into an alternative book press in the United S ...

. Selected poems and prose from 1970 to 2001.

Essays

* "Living By Life: Some Bioregional Theory and Practice". ''

CoEvolution Quarterly ''CoEvolution Quarterly'' (1974–1985) was a journal descended from Stewart Brand's ''Whole Earth Catalog''. Brand founded the ''CoEvolution Quarterly'' in 1974 using proceeds from the ''Whole Earth Catalog''. It evolved out of the original '' ...

'', Winter 1981, pp. 6-12
(pdf version)
* "Routes" in

Peter Berg Peter Berg (born March 11, 1964) is an American director, producer, writer, and actor. His directorial film works include the black comedy '' Very Bad Things'' (1998), the action comedy '' The Rundown'' (2003), the sports drama '' Friday Night ...

, ed. ''Reinhabiting a Separate Country: A Bioregional Anthology of Northern California''. 1978. Planet Drum Foundation, San Francisco.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dodge, Jim 1945 births American educators 20th-century American novelists Living people Writers from Santa Rosa, California Shepherds 20th-century American poets American male novelists American male essayists American male poets 20th-century American essayists 20th-century American male writers