A captivating, gritty, and tender story of a reclusive musician and the environmental disaster that threatens his small town and changes his life forever.
Jordan Farmer was born and raised in a small West Virginia town, population approximately two thousand. He earned his MA from Marshall University and his Ph.D. at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
"A near-Shakespearean snarl, a mad, seven-day action crucible
set in the West Virginia wild...The Poison Flood is an
ambitious saga, cockamamie and passionate. Through Hollis, Farmer
produces a pocket Hillbilly manifesto."—Atlanta Journal
Constitution
“Hollis himself is vivid…When the novel focuses on a musician’s
creative struggles, it sings”—Kirkus Reviews
“Affecting . . . combines an unconventional lead with a sobering
portrayal of an environmental disaster’s impact on a small
community. Readers who like their fiction to have a social
conscience will want to take a look.”—Publishers Weekly
"[A] bizarre and fascinating read that proves that anything is
possible in the capable hands of author Jordan Farmer. The novel is
immediately engrossing, its characters uniquely memorable, its
prose both heartfelt and stunning. The novel takes a number of
unexpected and thrilling turns ... [and is] rich in compassion
and empathy."—BookPage
"Darkly brilliant and beautifully written...[Farmer's] similes,
metaphors and turns of phrase are worth underlining and rereading
over and over. They are equaled, if not exceeded, by his sharply
drawn characters, who you will remember long after you finish this
book."—BookReporter
"[The Poison Flood] had one of the most satisfying endings
I’ve read in a while, capping what was overall one of the best
novels I’ve ever read of modern-day rural America."—Criminal
Element
"In his narrator, Hollis Bragg, Jordan Farmer has created a
compelling character whose personal story and damaged body becomes
emblematic of a whole region devastated by environmental
destruction. The Poison Flood is a timely and important novel."—Ron
Rash, PEN/Faulkner Finalist and New York
Times bestselling author of Serena
"The Poison Flood is thrilling, poignant, and full of music, a
forceful counterpunch to the usual expectations about poverty,
trauma, and physical difference."—James A. McLaughlin, author of
Bearskin
“Jordan Farmer's novel is both a gripping page-turner and a
stunning meditation on body and place. The Poison Flood will punch
you right in the throat with its honesty and its heart. Farmer is a
singular talent, with a voice I won't soon forget.”—Nick White,
author of Sweet & Low
"Once again, Jordan Farmer has written a darkly urgent book. The
Poison Flood is not only a story about the redemptive power of art—
it is itself a redeeming and beautiful work."—Smith Henderson,
author of Fourth of July Creek
“Jordan Farmer’s immense talent shines with the creation of Hollis
Bragg, an indelible character at the heart of this perfect ballad
to rural West Virginia.”—Devin Murphy, author of The Boat Runner
and Tiny Americans
“Once in a great while, a book appears that gives voice to
multitudes living just beyond our everyday scope. The Poison Flood
establishes Jordan Farmer as a writer whose lyricism and
unflinching search for truth places him among those artists who
carry our deepest concerns and very best possibilities across time.
This is a profoundly good book.”—Jonis Agee, author of The Bones of
Paradise
"A fascinating exploration of character, with a story that
captivates with suspense and heart;The Poison Flood is a book about
the influence of music, the power of art, and the complexities of
luck. Irresistible and original.”—Timothy Schaffert, author of The
Swan Gondola
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