Oceanography: Stories

THE BOOK: Oceanography

PUBLISHED IN: 2019.

THE AUTHOR:  Jeremy Griffin

THE EDITOR: Luke Hankins, Kevin McIlvoy

THE PUBLISHER: Orison Books

SUMMARY: The ten stories in this collection touch on themes of violence, healing, and desperation. It is humorous, but not at the expense of the characters, most of whom are facing down some insurmountable struggle. While each story is unique, they all speak to very human need to ascribe meaning to a hostile world.

THE BACK STORY: I didn’t consciously decide to write the book, at least not until I had about seven stories that I thought worked well together. After that, the remaining pieces fell into place.

WHY THIS TITLE?: It is the title of one of the stories, but moreover the word “oceanography” connotes the unknown, things hidden below the surface, which is what these stories aim to address.

WHY WOULD SOMEONE WANT TO READ IT? Each story is different, and each one will surprise you.

REVIEW COMMENTS: 

“The stories in Oceanography are peregrinations into unmapped territory: the survival of innocence. An elderly man who has outlived his wife seeks solace in building bird-feeders while noting the “surprising strength of his heart.” A failing businessman prays to a photograph of his grandsons on the beach, an adolescent girl begins to comprehend the consequences of her attraction to an older boy, and the survivors of a school shooting reconsider their homicidal classmate. This beautiful collection is distinguished by unvarnished honesty, depth of compassion, and an uncanny awareness of that liminal region between our knowledge of what is irretrievable and our hope for deliverance.” — Lan Samantha Chang, judge of the 2018 Orison Fiction Prize.

“I’ve just finished reading Jeremy Griffin’s exhilarating collection Oceanography, and now I need to catch my breath and recover. Then I’m going to read it again. The title story alone is worth the price of admission. Brianna Copland’s desperate love will haunt your dreams and your days. The prose in these propulsive and unsettling stories is luminous and incandescent; the characters are riveting; the themes, complex and resonant. Jeremy Griffin is one savvy, lyrical, and fearless writer.” — John Dufresne.

“A couple of days ago, I sat down with Jeremy Griffin’s collection Oceanography, to see if the stories could capture my interest. I think I first came up for air about 75 pages later. I did not previously know this young writer’s work, but suffice it to say that until I breathe my last, he will remain on my reading list. I almost never feel such enthusiasm for a book of stories. Every single one of them immediately engaged me and kept me engaged all the way to the end. There is so much life in these pages, so much genuine empathy for so many memorable people—I say ‘people’ rather than “characters,” because they became so real for me. Griffin is one hell of a writer.” — Steve Yarbrough

AUTHOR PROFILE: I’m a father, husband, teacher, writer, occasional musician, and movie nerd. I write because I simply cannot not do it. I’ve published work in the Alaska Quarterly Review, the Indiana Review, Oxford American, and Shenandoah, among other places.

SAMPLE: You can find selected pieces of my writing on my website griffinjeremy.com.

WHERE TO BUY IT: https://www.orisonbooks.com/. 

Amazon.

PRICE: $15

CONTACT THE AUTHOR: jgriffin8008@gmail.com.