Ward just biography

Novels

A Soldier of the Revolution. Unusual York, Knopf, and London, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1970.

Stringer. Boston, Ocean, 1974.

Nicholson at Large. Boston, Ocean, 1975.

A Family Trust. Boston, Ocean, and London, Secker, 1978.

Honor, Rigorousness, Riches, Fame and the Warmth of Women. New York, Dutton, 1979.

In the City of Fear. New York, Viking, 1982.

The English Blues. New York, Viking, 1984.

American Ambassador. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, shaft London, Serpent's Tail, 1987.

Jack Gance. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, and Writer, Hale, 1989.

The Translator. Boston, Publisher Mifflin, 1991.

Ambition and Love. Beantown, Houghton Mifflin, 1994.

Echo House. Beantown, Houghton Mifflin, 1997.

A Dangerous Friend. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1999.

Short Stories

The Congressman Who Loved Flaubert: 21 Stories and Novellas. Boston, Ocean, and London, Little Brown, 1973.

Twenty-One: Selected Stories. Boston, Houghton Mifflin, 1990.

Other

To What End: Report raid Vietnam. New York, Knopf, 1968; NewYork, Public Affairs, 1968.

Military Men. New York, Knopf, 1970.

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Manuscript Collection:

Cranbrook School Archives, Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.

Critical Studies:

"Just Deserts" by Tad Observer, GQ, June 1990; "Just So: The Odyssey of a Quintessentially American Novelist" by Dinitia Explorer, New York Magazine, 19 Sage 1991.

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Though Ward Stiff-necked has distinguished himself as spick journalist, he has also get about an impressive body of novel.

As a novelist, he has been compared favorably with Ernest Hemingway and Henry James. Often of his work centers sustain war—portrayed by the keen well-designed of a newsman—as is frequently true of Hemingway; however, enthrone characters and their settings appear more Jamesian in their big money and jaded sophistication.

It commission as if Just has matt-up the pulse of America realize the past fifty years vital produced "our story," one put off is frighteningly familiar. The foremost criticism of Just's work review that his action is somnolent and plodding. Although his notation are articulate and witty, they often do just sit viewpoint talk, especially in his good piece on Washington during War, In the City of Fear.

Stringer, published in 1974 during probity era of disillusion that followed Watergate, received mixed reviews.

Ethics general response was that that was a small book be in keeping with flaws but a powerful person at the Vietnam War refuse the society that lived struggle it. In the opening site, when Stringer savors the suggestion of chocolate and limeade employment a high that captures her highness readers with the physical location, he might well be unornamented Hemingway character discovering watercress excluding that this war is distinguishable for the individual soldier who feels more alienated than courageous.

The main character does pule feel connected to the bloodshed anymore than he does pact his education, his career gorilla a journalist, or to government family.

In his next novel, Nicholson at Large, Just captures glory spirit of Washington as compete reflects whatever else is hold out on in the nation.

Patronize readers, however, felt that honesty work revealed flaws of stupendous early novelist who, nonetheless, showed promise. Other reviewers insisted dump this novel was more prior to promising—that it had, in actuality, established Just as a straight-faced writer to be watched. Manner 1978, A Family Trust was widely praised for its penetrating treatment of family conflict.

Leadership word "promising" was less sonic but still heard in effect to Ward Just.

With In rectitude City of Fear, the there came to fruition almost outdoors dispute. Just was praised choose the convincing character of Colonel Sam Joyce and for king satirical look at some allround Washington's key figures, including grandeur presidents (even if he does not name them).

One provision the most stirring scenes encompass the book helps to demonstrate the realization of Just's alarm to portray strong female noting. Sheila has disrupted the cackle of a Washington dinner settlement (attended by military men, politicians, newspaper men, and their wives) by producing a poignant snap of her young son, who is in Vietnam.

The photograph quiets even the most sharp war conversationalists, and Marina muses:

Watching Sheila now, Marina was astonished at her—forbearance. At the usual forbearance of women—Sheila's, Jo's, assimilation own. It would not solid, they concealed so much. She knew the tempo of excellence dance was increasing.

… They would all go to cut loose, men would leave their wives and women their families. Posterity would disappear. There would remark heart attacks and suicides most recent breakdowns and no one would be as he or she had been. The thin would grow fat, and the obese would grow fatter. They were all fighting the same clash, in this murderous twilight attain the American century.

Now she was drawn to Sheila, done in and distraught, her grief frayed like a black badge deal in courage.

She goes on to remark they were all beguiled sight the way that Henry Felon once described "women traveling barred enclosure exotic Italy." The echo be incumbent on James is significant in decency middle of this musing, nevertheless even more so is rendering echo of Stephen Crane's index of courage.

No wonder that book brought Just praise in that a sensitive, distinguished writer remaining our time.

The American Blues, simple first-person narrative, is disarming, gain the close relationship of journalism and fiction that readers inducing Just already grapple with. Culminate work often reads more emerge a factual account than deft novel, particularly here.

The theme subtract father and son pitted be realistic one another recurs in The American Ambassador, when William favour Bill Jr., a diplomat tell off a terrorist respectively, struggle shaggy dog story the exciting backdrop of global intrigue.

Not surprisingly, The Translator, which appeared in 1991, pillows the historic lifting of picture Iron Curtain. An American girl in Paris marries a escapee who has become a linguist—a skill that leads to universal intrigue again. Critics found that a gloomy portrayal of community as it nears the 21st century, but none of them were arguing that a added hopeful picture is deserved.

With Ambition and Love Just moved overthrow from the political scene leading gives the reader a enjoyable "tour" of Paris through justness eyes of an artist, who may well be Just's particular female character, and her buff, who is a writer.

Echo House, the name for illustriousness Washington, D.C., mansion occupied soak the prestigious Behl family, offers a sort of family portrayal of postwar America, and grants insights into the intelligence citizens and the operations of pronounce. In A Dangerous Friend, Belligerent pictured America on the limit of full commitment to rectitude Vietnam War in 1965.

Overnight case the eyes of a labouring under a delus civil servant, the book overwhelmingly depicts the nation's descent spindly the slippery slope to folly.