Andrei Codrescu
365694
206428080
2008-04-18T04:45:03Z
Wassermann
3443648
Category:Romanian-American Jews
[[Image:Andrei codrescu.jpg|thumb|Andrei Codrescu]]'''Andrei Codrescu''' (born '''Andrei Perlmutter''' on [[December 20]], [[1946]]) is a [[Romania|Romanian]]-born [[United States|American]] [[poet]], [[novelist]], essayist, screenwriter, and commentator for [[National Public Radio]].
==Biography==
Born to a [[History of the Jews in Romania|Jewish Romanian]] family in [[Sibiu]], he published his first poems in [[Romanian language]] under the [[pen name]] ''Andrei Steiu''. In 1965 he left the country to escape from the [[Communist Romania|communist regime]]. After time in [[Italy]], he emigrated to the [[United States]] in 1966, where he immediately sought out [[Allen Ginsberg]] and was part of the [[East Village, Manhattan|East Village]] art scene.
In 1981, Codrescu became a [[Naturalization|naturalized citizen]] of the United States. He is an editor of the online journal ''Exquisite Corpse'', and is a MacCurdy Distinguished Professor of English at [[Louisiana State University]] in [[Baton Rouge]]. He lives in [[New Orleans]].
Codrescu's coverage of the [[Romanian Revolution of 1989]] for [[National Public Radio]] was critically acclaimed. He was featured in the [[film]] ''[[Road Scholar]]'' which won a 1995 [[Peabody Award]]. He reigned as King of the [[Krewe du Vieux]] for the 2002 [[New Orleans Mardi Gras]] season.
Codrescu writes a regular column for ''[[Gambit Weekly]]''.
==Works==
===Essays===
*''The Life and Times of an Involuntary Genius'', G. Braziller, 1975 (ISBN 0-8076-0773-8)
*''In America's Shoes'', City Lights Publishers, 1983 (ISBN 0-87286-148-1)
*''A Craving for Swan'', Ohio State University Press, 1986 (ISBN 0-8142-0415-5)
*''Raised by Puppets, Only to Be Killed by Research'', Addison-Wesley, 1989 (ISBN 0-201-12183-2)
*''Disappearance of the Outside: A Manifesto for Escape'', Addison-Wesley, 1990 (ISBN 0-201-12194-8)
*''The Hole in the Flag: A Romanian Exile's Story of Return and Revolution'', William Morrow and Co., 1991 (ISBN 0-688-08805-8)
*''Road Scholar: Coast to Coast Late in the Century'', co-authored with David Graham, Hyperion Books, 1993 (ISBN 1-56282-878-9)
*''The Muse Is Always Half-Dressed in New Orleans : and Other Essays'', St. Martin's Press, 1993 (ISBN 0-312-09354-3)
*''Zombification: Stories from National Public Radio'', St. Martin's Press, 1994, (ISBN 0-312-11107-X)
*''The Dog With the Chip in His Neck: Essays from NPR and Elsewhere'', St. Martin's Press, 1996 (ISBN 0-614-95760-5)
*''Hail Babylon!: NPR's Road Scholar Goes in Search of the American City'', St. Martin's Press, 1999 (ISBN 0-312-18107-8)
*''The Devil Never Sleeps: And Other Essays'', St. Martin's Press, 2000 (ISBN 0-312-20294-6)
*''An Involuntary Genius in America's Shoes: (And What Happened Afterwards)'', Black Sparrow Books, 2001 (ISBN 1-57423-160-X)
*''Ay, Cuba: A Socio-Erotic Journey'', co-authored with David Graham, St. Martin's Press, 2001 (ISBN 0-312-19831-0)
===Prose fiction===
*''Monsieur Teste in America & Other Instances of Realism'', Coffee House Press, 1987 (ISBN 0-918273-32-3)
*''The Blood Countess: A Novel'', Simon & Schuster, 1996 (ISBN 0-684-80244-9)
*''A Bar in Brooklyn: Novellas & Stories 1970-1978'', Black Sparrow Books, 1999 (ISBN 1-57423-098-0)
*''Messiah'', Simon & Schuster, 1999 (ISBN 0-684-80314-3)
*''Casanova in Bohemia : A Novel'', Free Press, 2002 (ISBN 0-684-86800-8)
*''Wakefield'', Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 2004 (ISBN 1-56512-372-7)
===Poetry===
*''The History of the Growth of Heaven'', G. Braziller, 1973 (ISBN 0-8076-0692-8)
*''A Serious Morning (Yes! Capra Chapbook Series; no. 9)'', Capra Press, 1973 (ISBN 0-912264-61-6)
*''Necrocorrida'', Panjundrum Press, 1980 (ISBN 0-915572-53-2)
*''Diapers on the Snow'', Crowfoot Press, 1981 (ISBN 0-936462-52-3)
*''Selected Poems: 1970-1980'', 1983, Sun Books
*''Comrade Past and Mister Present'', Coffee House Press, 1986 (ISBN 0-918273-21-8)
*''Belligerence: New Poems'', Coffee House Press, 1991 (ISBN 0-918273-85-4)
*''Alien Candor: Selected Poems, 1970-1995'', Black Sparrow Press, 1996 (ISBN 1-57423-013-1)
*''Candoare străină: Poeme alese, 1970-1996'', Editura Fundaţiei Culturale Române, 1997 (ISBN 973-577-123-3)
*''License to Carry a Gun'', Carnegie-Mellon University Press, 1998 (ISBN 0-88748-280-5)
*''It was Today'', Coffee House Press, 2003 (ISBN 1-56689-150-7)
===Editing===
*''American Poetry Since 1970: Up Late'', [[Four Walls Eight Windows]], 1988 (ISBN 0-941423-04-2)
*''The Stiffest of the Corpse: An Exquisite Corpse Reader'', Consortium Book Sales & Dist., 1989 (ISBN 0-87286-213-5)
*''American Poets Say Goodbye to the Twentieth Century'', co-edited with [[Laura Rosenthal]], [[Four Walls Eight Windows]], 1996 (ISBN 1-56858-071-1)
*''Thus Spake the Corpse: An Exquisite Corpse Reader 1988-1998. Volume 1, Poetry & Essays'', co-edited with Laura Rosenthal, Black Sparrow Books, 1999 (ISBN 1-57423-102-2)
*''Thus Spake the Corpse: An Exquisite Corpse Reader 1988-1998. Volume 2, Fictions, Travels and Translations'', co-edited with Laura Rosenthal, Black Sparrow Books, 1999 (ISBN 1-57423-101-4)
===Other contributions===
* Big River Blues, Doubleday Production
* [[Christopher Felver]], ''The Importance of Being'', Arena Editions, 2001 (ISBN 1-892041-48-0)
* Introduction to [[John Kennedy Toole]], ''[[A Confederacy of Dunces]]. 20th anniversary edition'', Louisiana State University Press, 2000 (ISBN 0-8071-2606-3)
* [[David Graham]]: ''Land of the Free: What Makes Americans Different'', Aperture, 1999 (0893818712)
===Chronological Publications List===
'''Books:'''
*’’2007: Submarinul Iertat. with [[Ruxandra Cesereanu]]. A long collaborative poem, Timisoara, Romania: Editura Brumar.
*’’2007: Femeia neagra a unui culcus de hoti, Bucharest: Editura Vinea. An art-book of early poetry recovered via the Rare Books collection at Emory University.
*’’2006: New Orleans, Mon Amour: Twenty Years of Writing from the City, New York and Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books. Essays, stories.
*’’2006: Miracol si Catastrofa: Dialogues in Cyberspace with Robert Lazu, Timisoara, Romania: Editura Hartman. A book-length interview in Romanian.
*’’2004: Wakefield: a novel New York and Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books.
*’’2003: It Was Today: New Poems Minneapolis: Coffee House Press
*’’2002: Casanova in Bohemia, a novel New York: The Free Press
*’’2001: An Involuntary Genius in America’s Shoes (and What Happened Afterwards) Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press, Re-issue of The Life & Times of an Involuntary Genius, 1976, and In America’s Shoes, 1983, with new forward and coda-essay..
*’’2000: The Devil Never Sleeps & Other Essays. New York: St. Martin’s Press. Essays.
*’’2000: Poezii Alese/Selected Poetry, bi-lingual edition, English and Romanian Bucharest: Editura Paralela 45, 2000) Poetry.
*’’1999: A Bar in Brooklyn: Novellas & Stories, 1970-1978 Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press.
*’’1999: Messiah, a novel. New York: Simon & Schuster.
*’’1999: Hail Babylon! Looking for the American City at the End of the Millennium. New York: St. Martin's Press 1999, New York and London: Picador, 1999. Essays.
*’’1999: Ay, Cuba! A Socio-Erotic Journey. With photographs by David Graham. New York: St. Martin's Press, New York and London: Picador. Travel/Essay.
*’’1997: The Dog With the Chip in His Neck: Essays from NPR & Elsewhere. New York: St. Martin's Press, New York and London: Picador.
*’’1996: Alien Candor: Selected Poems, 1970-1995 Santa Rosa: Black Sparrow Press.
*’’1995: The Muse Is Always Half-Dressed in New Orleans. New York: St. Martin's Press. New York and London: Picador,1996. Essays.
*’’1995: The Blood Countess, a novel. New York: Simon & Schuster. New York: Dell.
*’’1995: Zombification: Essays from NPR. New York: St. Martin's Press. New York and London: Picador.
*’’1994: The Repentance of Lorraine, a novel. New York: Rhinoceros Books. Reprint with new introduction of 1976 Pocketbooks edition by “Ames Claire”)
*’’1993: Belligerence, poems. Minneapolis: Coffee House Press.
*’’1993: Road Scholar: Coast to Coast Late in the Century, with photographs by David Graham. A journal of the making of the movie Road Scholar. New York: Hyperion.
*’’1991: The Hole in the Flag: a Romanian Exile's Story of Return and Revolution (New York: Morrow. New York: Avon.
*’’1991: Comrade Past and Mister Present, poetry Minneapolis: Coffee House Press.
*’’1990: The Disappearance of the Outside: a Manifesto for Escape. Boston: Addison-Wesley Co.1990; reissued by Minneapolis: Ruminator Press, 2001, with new essay)
*’’1989: At the Court of Yearning: Poems by Lucian Blaga, translation of Romania's modern poet. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
*’’1988: A Craving for Swan, essays. Columbus: Ohio State University Press.
*’’1987: Monsieur Teste in America & Other Instances of Realism, stories. Minneapolis: Coffee House Press.
*’’1987: Raised by Puppets Only to Be Killed by Research Boston: Addison-Wesley.
*’’1983: In America’s Shoes San Francisco: City Lights.
*’’1983: Selected Poems 1970-1980 New York: Sun Books.
*’’1982: Necrocorrida, poems. San Francisco: Panjandrum Books.
*’’1979: The Lady Painter, poems. Boston: Four Zoas Press.
*’’1978: For the Love of a Coat, poems. Boston: Four Zoas Press.
*’’1975: The Life & Times of an Involuntary Genius, memoir. New York: George Braziller.
*’’1974: The Marriage of Insult & Injury. Poems. Woodstock: Cymric Press.
*’’1973: The History of the Growth of Heaven, poems. New York: George Braziller.
*’’1973: A Serious Morning, poems. Santa Barbara: Capra Press.
*’’1971: Why I Can’t Talk on the Telephone, stories San Francisco: kingdom kum press.
*’’1970: License to Carry a Gun, poems. Big Table Poetry Award. Chicago: Big Table/Follet. Reprinted by Pittsburgh: Carnegie-Mellon University Press.
Note: Most of the fiction, poetry, and several of the essay books were published in translation in Romanian, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Greek, Czech, Slovakian, and Russian.
'''Editor/Founder:'''
*’’1983-1997 Exquisite Corpse: a Journal of Books and Ideas
*’’1997-ongoing Exquisitecorpse.org
*’’2004-ongoing: Exquisite Corpse Books
'''Anthologies Edited:'''
*’’2000: Thus Spake the Corpse: an Exquisite Corpse Reader 1988-1998. Volume Two, Fictions, Travels, and Translations. Co-edited with Laura Rosenthal, Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press.
*’’1999: Thus Spake the Corpse: an Exquisite Corpse Reader 1988-1998. Volume One, Poetry and Essays. Co-edited with Laura Rosenthal, Santa Barbara: Black Sparrow Press.
*’’1996: American Poets Say Goodbye to the 20th Century. Co-edited with Laura Rosenthal, New York: 4 Walls/8 Windows Press.
*’’1988: American Poetry Since 1970: Up Late. New York: 4 Walls/8 Windows Press.
*’’1990: The Stiffest of the Corpse: an Exquisite Corpse Reader, 1983-1990. San Francisco: City Lights Books.
==External links==
{{wikiquote}}
{{Commonscat}}
* [http://www.codrescu.com/bio/index.html Andrei Codrescu's webpage]
* [http://bigriverblues.com Big River Blues]
* [http://www.literati.net/Codrescu/ ''Codrescu'' on literati.net]
* [http://www.corpse.org ''Exquisite Corpse'', Codrescu's online literary magazine]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2100359 ''Andrei Codrescu'', NPR Biography]
* [http://www.3ammagazine.com/litarchives/2003/mar/interview_andrei_codrescu.html 2003 interview]
* [http://www.authorviews.com/authors/04bookfair/codrescu.php AuthorViews interview from 2004 New Orleans Bookfair]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16747752 "Jet Lag a Tool for Recapturing Youth in Romania"], [[National Public Radio|NPR]], ''[[All Things Considered]]'', [[November 29]], [[2007]]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Codrescu, Andrei}}
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American essayists]]
[[Category:American journalists]]
[[Category:American novelists]]
[[Category:American poets]]
[[Category:American screenwriters]]
[[Category:Jewish American writers]]
[[Category:Jewish novelists]]
[[Category:Jewish poets]]
[[Category:Louisiana State University faculty]]
[[Category:Louisiana writers]]
[[Category:National Public Radio]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of the United States]]
[[Category:People from New Orleans, Louisiana]]
[[Category:People from Sibiu]]
[[Category:Romanian-American Jews]]
[[Category:Romanian defectors]]
[[Category:Romanian essayists]]
[[Category:Romanian Jews]]
[[Category:Romanian journalists]]
[[Category:Romanian novelists]]
[[Category:Romanian poets]]
[[he:אנדרי קודרסקו]]
[[ro:Andrei Codrescu]]