Peter Mountford

Peter Mountford’s debut novel, A Young Man’s Guide to Late Capitalism, won the 2012 Washington State Book Award and was a finalist in the 2012 VCU Cabell First Novelist Prize. In its full-page review, The Seattle Times wrote: “Debut novels don't come much savvier, punchier, or more entertaining...the work of an extraordinary talent.”

Mountford's latest novel is The Dismal Science.

From his Q & A with Steve Almond for The Rumpus:

The Rumpus: The first thing that fans of your last book are going to realize is this: “Hey, Mountford is again writing about an economist. What gives?” So: what gives?

Peter Mountford: Once upon a time, these two books were one book, but it would have been an ungainly beast. It just wasn’t one book—they’re about very different things, actually. But maybe the question inside your question is how can a writer sustain an interest in this godforsaken material—economics—for the better part of eight years of novel-writing? The truth is, I do have an obsession with money and what it does to us as individuals, as societies. My interest in money is a love/hate thing, I guess. Or just unrequited love. I suppose if I loved it so much, I’d be doing something other than writing dark fiction about economists, right?

Rumpus: One of the many things you nail in The Dismal Science is the quiet desperation of middle age, that point you reach where you realize, Christ, I’m closer to the grave than the cradle and I still have almost no control over my life. I don’t really have a question here. I’m just feeling implicated and pissed off.

Mountford: People think the male midlife crisis is just a hilarious and ridiculous outburst by a fading beast, the red Corvette and hairpiece and...[read on]

Visit Peter Mountford's website.

The Page 69 Test: A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism.

My Book, The Movie: A Young Man's Guide to Late Capitalism.

Writers Read: Peter Mountford.

The Page 69 Test: The Dismal Science.

My Book, The Movie: The Dismal Science.

--Marshal Zeringue