Amy Fusselman | |
|---|---|
| Occupation | Author |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | |
| Genre | Fiction and nonfiction |
Amy Fusselman is an American author, who writes fiction and nonfiction, including essays and novels. Her work centers on social issues to explore complex family dynamics and the absurdity of everyday life.[1][2] She often writes in a humorous style, blending prose and poetry.[3][4]Fusselman's creative writing combines unconventional fragmented structure with circular narratives, allowing for leaps across time and subject without traditional linear transitions.[5]
Education
Fusselman received her Bachelor of Arts in English from Ohio State University and earned a Master of Arts in creative writing from Boston University.[6][7]
Career
Through the 1990s, Fusselman published Bunnyrabbit, an experimental zine.[8][9]
Fusselman's hybrid writing integrates prose, poetry, and essay.[10] McSweeney's published her first hardcover book, The Pharmacist's Mate, in 2001 and Penguin Books published a softcover edition in 2002.[11] This was later followed by 8 (2007),[12] Savage Park (2015),[13] Idiophone (2018),[14] and The Means (2022).[15] Her freelance writing has been published in The New York Times,[16] The Washington Post,[17] and The Atlantic.[18] Her column "Family Practice", for McSweeney's Internet Tendency, observes intersections between parenting, play, risk-taking and work.[19]
In addition to writing, Fusselman taught creative writing (fiction and nonfiction) at New York University School of Professional Studies from 2020 to 2022.[20]
Personal life
Fusselman lives with her family in New York City.[21]
Fusselman contributes to programs at Girls Write Now, which matches young women from disadvantaged backgrounds with professional women writers. In 2014 Fusselman gave the keynote address, Owning Your Work: Speaking with Strength and Courage, during their annual Chapters event.[22]
Publications
- The Pharmacist's Mate. McSweeney's. 2001. ISBN 978-0970335531.
- The Pharmacist's Mate. Penguin Books. 2002. ISBN 978-0142002353.
- 8: All True: Unbelievable. Counterpoint. 2007. ISBN 978-1-582-43368-4.
- Savage Park: A Meditation on Play, Space, and Risk for Americans Who Are Nervous, Distracted, and Afraid to Die. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 2015. ISBN 978-0-544-30300-3.
- Idiophone. Coffee House Press. 2018. ISBN 978-1-566-89513-2.
- The Means. Mariner Books. 2022. ISBN 978-0-063-24871-7.
- Cloud Six. Catapult. 2026. ISBN 978-1-64622-348-0.
External Links
References
- Higginbotham, Anastasia (Spring 2023). "'The Means: A Novel' by Amy Fusselman". Liber. 2 (1). Archived from the original on January 16, 2026. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Chaney, Jen (March 29, 2013). "Opinion, 'THE Pharmacist's Mate and 8' by Amy Fusselman". The Washington Post. The Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 18, 2021. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Craighead, Olivia (September 29, 2022). "What a Woman Wants (Book Review, The Means)". The New York Times. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Huffman, Jane (November 16, 2018). ""Two Theatres:" A Review of Amy Fusselman's Idiophone". The Kenyon Review. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Schenker, Andrew. "One World into Another". Los Angeles Review of Books. Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
- Gallix, Andrew (2001). "An Interview with Amy Fusselman". 3AM Magazine. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- "Amy Fusselman, Frank L. Snider". The New York Times. The New York Times. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
- Wenc, Christine (May 17, 2001). "Amy Fusselman Rises Above the McSweeney's Shtick". The Stranger. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- "A Memoir in Two Voices: Part Daughter, Part Father". Hartford Courant. July 1, 2001. Retrieved April 17, 2026.
- O'Rourke, Kevin (May 2018). "Pas de Deux: Amy Fusselman's "Idiophone"". Michigan Quarterly Review. University of Michigan. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Baldwin, Chris (November 14, 2002). "The Pharmacist's Mate". Chico News & Review. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- "8: All True: Unbelievable". Kirkus Reviews. March 1, 2007. Archived from the original on November 10, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Michel, Christopher. "Fearing The Feral Carousels No More". The Brooklyn Rail. The Brooklyn Rail. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- "Idiophone". Kirkus Reviews. April 10, 2018. Archived from the original on October 8, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- "The Means". Kirkus Reviews. July 7, 2022. Archived from the original on November 7, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Fusselman, Amy (April 15, 2007). "Feet to Brain". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 1, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Fusselman, Amy (June 3, 2022). "I didn't get esports. Then I went to a tournament with my son". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 7, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Fusselman, Amy (January 14, 2015). "'Play Freely at Your Own Risk'". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on November 21, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- "Family Practice: An Occasional Column by "Dr." Amy Fusselman". McSweeney's. Archived from the original on January 12, 2026. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Wolitzer, Hilma (October 20, 2022). "Hamptons Dreaming". The East Hampton Star. Archived from the original on November 19, 2025. Retrieved April 16, 2026.
- Kisner, Jordan. "Comedy is Aggressive: Amy Fusselman on Trying to Figure Out What the F*@% a Joke is". Literary HUb. Literary HUb. Retrieved May 25, 2026.
- "Owning Your Work: Speaking with Strength and Courage". Girls Write Now. Girls Write Now. Retrieved May 29, 2026.