Philip Gould

After a long career as a journalist and foreign service officer on four continents, native Chicagoan Philip Gould turned to writing fiction. Two of his novels have been published by Algonquin. Since the turn of the century he has focused on short stories and short memoirs and seven of these have been published, in The Virginia Quarterly Review and three other leading literary journals. “Gould handles exotic settings and character portrayal with impressive skill.” –Publishers Weekly “Marvelous reportage on some far places.”–Kirkus Reviews He and his wife Molly make their home in Charlottesville, Virginia

Author

A Mediterranean Goddess on the James

By Philip Gould

Autumn 2002 | Fiction

I sometimes think it may be easier for a Westerner to write about Chinese than for a Northerner to write about Virginians. My wife of 45 years, and the source of this story and its mysteries, is Virginia born and bred. I myself have lived in the Commonwealth a dozen years. Nonetheless, I approach my narrative with some hesitation. I cannot deny it; forever and a day I'll be a transplanted Northerner, never a true Virginian, and I fear there are those who will believe that because of my lack of authentic origins I also lack the credentials to chronicle the history of certain native Virginians I have come to know about.

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A Nest of Mares

By Philip Gould

Autumn 2001

After his death in 1996 at the age of 90, the estate of the late architect William Draper was divided among his five children. The siblings drew lots for his antique furniture and his collection of more than 50 oil paintings and watercolors. His da [...]

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My Clandestine Career

By Philip Gould

Summer 1999

In 1999, after 46 years of independent existence, to achieve greater efficiency at lower cost so it was said, the U.S.Information Agency was absorbed into the State Department. This was not front page news and hardly came as any surprise to the vas [...]

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Meg O’Fallon

By Philip Gould

Autumn 2003

My wife and I live year-round on Martha's Vineyard now, except for trips south to warmer places in January and February; I haven't been back to Chicago in years. Neither of our children lives there nor any other blood relations nor close friends. M [...]

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