Jeff Hobbs

Jeff Hobbs is an acclaimed novelist, essayist, and nonfiction writer who has been celebrated for his “vivid and authentic” portrayals of his characters’ lives and the landscapes that surround them. Born in 1970, Hobbs has written two novels, one nonfiction book, two collections of essays, and a book of short stories. His work examines complex relationships between fathers, sons, and brothers, as well as the stratification of race and class.

Hobbs’ first novel, The Tourists, was published in 2006 and follows four friends who reunite in their early-thirties after spending their twenties living in opposite parts of the country. At first the reunion seems like an extension of the happy college days they once shared. But soon, it becomes apparent that each of the men have experienced considerable growth since their last time together, and the revelations that come to light are as heartbreaking as they are beautiful.

The Tourists was praised by Jonathan Yardley of The Washington Post as “one of the most perceptive books about American life to be published in the last few years.” It won Hobbs critical acclaim and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship.

In 2011, Hobbs published his second novel, August. Set again in California, this book looks at the nuanced and often controversial bonds between two brothers. One, Thomas, is a Marine returning from Iraq, wounded both literally and emotionally. The other, August, is an inveterate and often wayward seeker of knowledge. When Thomas visits and August moves in, their differences drive them apart, a rift that only strengthens when it is revealed that August is in a relationship with his brother’s former love.

August, like The Tourists, was well-received. Kirkus Reviews proclaimed that “Hobbs’ thoughtful and beautifully written exploration of brotherhood and family love is a worthy sequel to his fine debut novel.”

Hobbs’ third book, California: A Journey Through Time (2015), is a nonfiction work that explores the history of the state’s coastline and its natural environment using personal reflections and intimate knowledge of the land. In 2021, Hobbs released The Fierce Hours, which follows the story of two interracial couples in America’s Deep South during the civil rights movement.

Hobbs has also published two collections of essays and a book of short stories. Emergency Contact for a Strangers’ World (2012) is a collection of essays exploring the silent bonds between strangers, while Loss and Renewal (2018) reflects on life’s minor and major catastrophes, drawing on Hoff’s own life and those of others. His book of short stories, Solitaire (2013), follows the lives of outcasts, immigrants, and dreamers.

Hobbs is a master of his craft who, with each book, further establishes his ability to capture and draw out the complexities of human experience. He has played an important role in redefining the way we approach questions about race, class, and identity, and his foundation of work has been, and will continue to be, fundamental in closing the gaps between America’s past and present.