The Gold Bug Variations
 First edition | |
| Author | Richard Powers |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | William Morrow & Company |
Publication date | August 1, 1991 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| ISBN | Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). |
| OCLC | 22665566 |
| 813/.54 20 | |
| LC Class | PS3566.O92 G65 1991 |
The Gold Bug Variations is a novel by American writer Richard Powers, first released in 1991.
Plot introduction
[edit | edit source]The novel intertwines the discovery of the chemical structure of DNA with the musicality of Johann Sebastian Bach's harpsichord composition the Goldberg Variations. A similar theme is explored by Douglas Hofstadter in his 1979 book Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. The title also alludes to Edgar Allan Poe's 1843 short story "The Gold-Bug", which is incorporated in the plot of the novel.[1]
The plot hinges on two love affairs: the first set in the 1950s, between two scientists intent on discovering the mysteries of DNA; the second in the 1980s, between two lovers who befriend the scientist featured in the novel's flashbacks.
Awards
[edit | edit source]The Gold Bug Variations has received the following awards:
- Time Book of the Year, 1991
- Publishers Weekly Best Books of 1991
- Vrij Nederland Best Books of 1991
- The New York Times Notable Book, 1991
- De Morgen Best Book of 1991 (named in 1999, in a compilation of the best books each year over the last half century)
- Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, 1991
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
See also
[edit | edit source]External links
[edit | edit source]
- Bibliography of editions of Gold Bug Variations.
- Listing of reviews and writings about Gold Bug Variations.
 | This article about a 1990s novel is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. See guidelines for writing about novels. Further suggestions might be found on the article's talk page. |
