The Jump Artist

Austin Ratner graduated from John Hopkins School of Medicine but abandoned a burgeoning career as a doctor in order to dedicate himself to his writing of The Jump Artist. Published by a small independent press, this debut novel was picked by Publishers Weekly as one of the ten most promising debuts of the year, met with widespread acclaim and won the $100,000 Sami Rohr Prize. He has since studied at the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop and his writing has appeared in The New York Times Magazine and has been honored with the Missouri Review Editors' Prize in Fiction.

A bold and wondrous combination of dark history and beautifully delicate psychology -- A D Miller, Author Of Booker Prize Shortlisted Snowdrops In The Jump Artist Austin Ratner gives life to a story both emblematic of the horror at the heart of the 20th century and absolutely personal in its particulars - the extraordinary life of Philippe Halsman. A terrific debut -- Anna Funder, Author Of Stasiland A remarkable work [that] documents a triumph of the human spirit over tremendous adversity Harper's An acutely rendered piece of fiction, with brilliantly constructed court scenes at its centre Guardian Lucid and atmospheric Observer An absorbing read ... a fitting tribute Sunday Telegraph Tremendous resonance ... one of the most promising debuts of the year Publishers Weekly Subtle, moving ... has the pace and excitement of a legal drama The Forward A beautifully scrupulous, intricately detailed novel about joy and despair ... like a great photograph, it seems to miss nothing, and to catch its subject in all his complexity -- Charles Baxter, Author Of The Soul Thief This elegantly-written tribute makes as beautiful a use of the darkness and light of one man's life as a Halsman photograph of a pretty young woman GQ Written with an eye for vivid imagery Financial Times Very moving Ha-aretz A psychologically arresting fiction Cleveland Plain Dealer Engaging ... transcend[s] the bounds of historical fiction Booklist Merits serious appreciation Tablet