Bageant, Joe 1946-

PERSONAL:

Born 1946, in Winchester, VA; married; three children.

ADDRESSES:

Home—Winchester, VA. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER:

Writer and online columnist. Worked as a senior editor for Primedia History Magazine Group. Military service: U.S. Navy.

WRITINGS:

Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War, Crown Publishers (New York, NY), 2007.

SIDELIGHTS:

American writer Joe Bageant was born and raised in the small Southern town of Winchester, Virginia, an experience which has influenced his work as a writer and critic. Bageant's work as an online columnist has garnered a popular following among many, including fans of "gonzo" journalism.

In 2007, Bageant published his first book, Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War. Inspired by the author's return to his hometown of Winchester after living in various cities across the United States for the past thirty years, Deer Hunting with Jesus takes the form of investigative reporting and social commentary about lives of America's working poor. Using anecdotes of his neighbors, Bageant tells their stories and how they fit into a larger culture known for a love of guns, Christianity, illiteracy and real estate foreclosures. He argues that this social class is being ignored or trivialized by both sides of the political system, even though a majority of these people support the Republican Party. While many critics acknowledged the book's strong point of view and "partisan" leanings, Deer Hunting with Jesus was lauded overall for its engaging stories and strong writing. Bageant's book is "blunt and often revealing," wrote a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Others enjoyed the author's sense of humor and honesty. Deer Hunting with Jesus is a "bitingly funny report," noted Josh Rottenberg in a review for Entertainment Weekly.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, May 15, 2007, Vanessa Bush, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus: Dispatches from America's Class War, p. 7.

Christian Century, November 13, 2007, Robert Westbrook, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus, p. 37.

Entertainment Weekly, June 22, 2007, Josh Rottenberg, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus, p. 75.

Esquire, July 2007, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus, p. 32.

Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2007, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus.

Library Journal, June 15, 2007, Rachel Bridgewater, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus, p. 85.

Mother Jones, July 1, 2007, Eleanor Cooney, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus, p. 77.

ONLINE

ABC Australia,http://www.abc.net.au/ (November 5, 2007), biography of Joe Bageant.

Counter Punch,http://www.counterpunch.org/ (July 9, 2007), Michael Donnelly, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus.

Energy Grid,http://www.energygrid.com/ (January 23, 2008), interview with Joe Bageant.

Huffington Post,http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ (January 14, 2008), biography of Joe Bageant.

Joe Bageant Home Page,http://www.joebageant.com (January 14, 2008).

Readings Monthly,http://www.readings.com.au/ (November 8, 2007), Jo Case, review of Deer Hunting with Jesus.

Social Science,http://socialscience.libsyn.com/ (January 14, 2008), biography of Joe Bageant.