Rafi Zabor (born Joel Zaborovsky,[1] August 22, 1946)[2] is a Brooklyn, New York–based music journalist- and musician-turned-novelist.

Rafi Zabor
BornJoel Zaborovsky
(1946-08-22) August 22, 1946 (age 78)
OccupationNovelist, music critic
NationalityAmerican
Alma materBrooklyn College
Notable worksThe Bear Comes Home
Notable awardsPEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
1998 The Bear Comes Home
Website
rafizabor.com

Life and work

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A graduate of Brooklyn College, Zabor became a jazz critic for Musician in 1977, and later became an editor for the magazine.[3]

He received the 1998 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for his first novel, The Bear Comes Home, which follows an alto saxophonist – who happens to be a bear – in his pursuit of musical perfection.[4]

Zabor's second book, the memoir I, Wabenzi, was commercially unsuccessful and met with mixed critical response.[3]

In 2008, Zabor received an NEA Literature Fellowship.[3]

As of 2011, he was reportedly working on a new novel, to be titled The Bosphorus Dogs.[5]

Zabor is also a jazz drummer.[1][3]

Bibliography

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References

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  1. ^ a b Biederman, Marcia (July 19, 1998). "Who Is Rafi Zabor?". New York Times. New York City. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  2. ^ Rafi Zabor (August 22, 2008). "Updoc". Taintradio.org (Podcast). Retrieved August 23, 2008.
  3. ^ a b c d Zabor, Rafi (2008). "NEA Writers' Corner: Rafi Zabor". National Endowment for the Arts. Retrieved June 9, 2008.
  4. ^ Zabor, Rafi (April 13, 1998). "Literary Paws". NewsHour (Interview). Interviewed by Elizabeth Farnsworth. PBS. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  5. ^ ""The Bosphorus Dogs," a novel by Rafi Zabor".
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