Rich, Simon 1984–

PERSONAL:

Born 1984; son of Frank (a newspaper columnist) and Gail (a book editor) Rich. Education: Harvard University, B.A., 2007. Hobbies and other interests: Run, cook, and play music with friends.

ADDRESSES:

Home—New York, NY. Agent—Levine Greenberg Literary Agency, 307 7th Ave., Ste. 2407, New York, NY 10001.

CAREER:

Writer.

WRITINGS:

Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, Random House Trade Paperbacks (New York, NY), 2007.

Contributor to periodicals, including the New Yorker and Mad magazine.

SIDELIGHTS:

Simon Rich graduated from Harvard University in 2007, where he served a stint as president of the satirical Harvard Lampoon. He also sold his first book prior to graduation, Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, a collection of comedic short sketches that focuses on the tragic end of childhood and what that means for each person setting out as a newly minted adult. Three of the pieces appeared in the New Yorker prior to the book's release. Nick A. Zaino III, in a review for Paste, noted that Rich's position on the Lampoon staff and as the son of New York Times columnist Frank Rich might easily have garnered him his book deal, but went on to state that the quality of his writing stood on its own. Zaino concluded: "Ant Farm is simple, smart and easily digestible, and that's a potent combination these days." Rich himself addressed obvious comparisons to his father in an interview with James Sullivan for the Boston Globe Online, noting the differences in their approaches: "My dad writes about the fate of the free world, and I write about dogs, video games, and bears." Forbes Online reviewer Marisa Rindone noted: "It is clear that Simon Rich has potential … and he has a definite talent for boiling situations down to their desperate, at times touching, cores." Booklist reviewer Allison Block opined that Rich "displays a knack for extracting humor from scenarios of discomfort and despair."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Booklist, March 1, 2007, Allison Block, review of Ant Farm: And Other Desperate Situations, p. 53.

Library Journal, April 15, 2007, Joyce Sparrow, review of Ant Farm, p. 89.

Publishers Weekly, February 5, 2007, review of Ant Farm, p. 50.

ONLINE

Boston Globe Online,http://www.boston.com/ (April 1, 2007), James Sullivan, "Scared Silly," review of Ant Farm.

Forbes Online,http://www.forbes.com/ (September 4, 2007), Marisa Rindone, "Ant Farm and Other Daydreams."

Gothamist Web site,http://gothamist.com/ (June 22, 2007), "Simon Rich, Author, Ant Farm."

Harvard Crimson Online,http://www.thecrimson.com/ (April 6, 2007), Zachary M. Seward, "Rich '06-'07 Scores a Home Run in Debut."

Levine Greenberg Literary Agency Web site,http://www.levinegreenberg.com/ (October 10, 2007), author profile.

Paste,http://www.pastemagazine.com/ (April 19, 2007), Nick A. Zaino III, review of Ant Farm.

Simon Rich MySpace Page,http://www.myspace.com/simonrich (October 10, 2007).