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Karen Wunderman Biography, Books, and Similar Authors

Author Biography  | Interview  | Books by this Author  | Read-Alikes

Karen Wunderman
©karenwunderman.com

Karen Wunderman

Karen Wunderman Biography

Karen Wunderman spent her childhood in a suburb of New York and her adolescence in Manhattan. After receiving a B.A. in history from Alfred University, she attended Teachers College, Columbia University, where she wrapped up her education with a M.A. in Philosophy of Education and a M.Ed. in Curriculum & Teaching. She held a few unusual teaching jobs and then decided to mix her academic expertise with her love of writing by pursuing a career in educational publishing. She is the author and contributing author of many textbooks and other educational materials. When not writing for love or for money, she spends her time tending her gardens in Cranbury, New Jersey, where she lives with her husband, two children, and an assortment of four-legged creatures. She is an ardent photo hobbyist; one of her photographs appears on the cover of her novel. Winterkill.

Karen Wunderman's website

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Interview

Karen Wunderman discusses why she chose to make the main characters of Winterkill not only communists but atheists, too, and how readers react to them; and why she chose the insularity of a small town community as the backdrop for her book.

The subject of communism sets up a negative reaction in many people. Why did you choose this subject? Were you concerned that it might turn people away from the book rather than help increase sales?
First of all, the book isn't about communism per se, but rather about persecution and self-acceptance. I used communism as a vehicle for exploring those themes. The disillusionment and shame communists from the thirties and forties were left with always fascinated me. Why was it so hard for them to accept that what they'd believed in wasn't what they'd thought it was? Why were these people, who fundamentally had good intentions, forced to live in shame and secrecy? McCarthyism and the witch-hunts of the 1950s are the obvious answer, but for many, the anti-aggression pact between Hitler and Stalin in 1939 was the defining moment. Americans, communist or otherwise, couldn't ally themselves with a government that supported Hitler. I've never defended the communist movement in this country, but I've tried to understand its roots, and it afforded me the perfect vehicle for the character and story I had in mind. I have been concerned that people might not want to read the book because they have ...

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Books by this Author

Books by Karen Wunderman at BookBrowse
Winterkill jacket
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Read-Alikes

All the books below are recommended as read-alikes for Karen Wunderman but some maybe more relevant to you than others depending on which books by the author you have read and enjoyed. So look for the suggested read-alikes by title linked on the right.
How we choose read-alikes

  • Tim Gautreaux

    Tim Gautreaux

    Born and raised in Louisiana, Tim Gautreaux lives there, in Hammond, with his family, and is Writer-in-Residence at Southeastern Louisiana University. His work has appeared in Harper's, The Atlantic Monthly, GQ, and Zoetrope,... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Winterkill

    Try:
    The Clearing
    by Tim Gautreaux

  • Deon Meyer

    Deon Meyer

    Deon Meyer was born in the South African town of Paarl in the winelands of the Western Cape in 1958, and grew up in Klerksdorp, in the gold mining region of Northwest Province.

    After military duty and studying at the ... (more)

    If you enjoyed:
    Winterkill

    Try:
    Thirteen Hours
    by Deon Meyer

We recommend 4 similar authors

View all 4 Read-Alikes

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