We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Biographies

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Who is Arthur Nersesian?

By Garry Crystal
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 5,481
Share

Arthur Nersesian is a writer who first came to the attention of the public with his novel The F***-Up, published in 1997. The book was first published by Akashic Press, a small literary publishing house. MTV books quickly picked up on the book, and it became an underground classic. Arthur Nersesian is considered the definitive writer on the life of the struggling artist in New York, specifically in the East Village area.

Arthur Nersesian had been writing about the East Village for many years before finding literary success. During the 1980s and 90s, he edited a literary magazine called The Portable Lower East Side. The magazine focused on all things artistic concerning the East Village. Copies of the magazine can still be found with some careful scouring of eBay.

Although Nersesian is regarded as an underground, cult writer, his writing and voice are accessible to anyone who has struggled for something he or she believes in. The F***-up is a tale of a wannabe writer trying to make his way through New York in the 1980s. Although published by MTV books, it is regarded by many as literary masterpiece of storytelling, starting with the breakdown of a relationship and ending with narrator homeless on the streets of New York.

Nersesian's writing is both realistic in tone, while maintaining humor, and an acute observation of the competitiveness and narcissism of writers. Writer's Block, a play in his book East Village Tetralogy, perfectly captures the jealousy and desperation of the unpublished writer. Although the name Arthur Nersesian has become synonymous with the life of the struggling artist in New York, the author has since branched out with his novels. Manhattan Loverboy, published in 2000, is a twisted, surreal, Kafkaesque story. It attacks some of the modern aspects of life in New York.

Suicide Casanova (2005) is a dark, multi-layered, tragic love story. It concerns a man who, after killing his wife, becomes obsessed with a porn star and her real life. With Suicide Casanova, Arthur Nersesian has upped the stakes in his writing. Gone are the likable loser characters that inhabit earlier Arthur Nersesian novels. Instead, the reader is given a tour of people that most wouldn't want anywhere near their life.

Until recently, Arthur Nersesian taught at a school in the South Bronx. He now dedicates most of his time to his novels. Other books by Arthur Nersesian include Dogrun, Chinese Takeout, and Unlubricated.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
By chivebasil — On Feb 28, 2012

I have never heard of this writer but I empathize a lot with stories of struggling artists. I tried for years to get a novel published and could never find a publisher who was interested. Faced with either abandoning the novel or self publishing I chose to give up. Maybe not my proudest decision but it's one that I made.

By nextcorrea — On Feb 27, 2012

I just finished reading his novel Mesopotamia. It was something I picked up randomly off of the library shelves but I loved it. It had a lot of style and humor and was in it's own way unlike any other crime novel I've ever read.

I will definitely be looking into more of his stuff. i love crime and detective fiction but so much of it is cliched and formulaic. It can be hard to find a writer who is pushing the boundaries.

Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/who-is-arthur-nersesian.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.