Matthew Specktor

Matthew Specktor is the author of the novels American Dream Machine and That Summertime Sound, as well as a nonfiction book of film criticism. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Harper’s, the Paris Review, Tin House, and many other periodicals and anthologies. He has recently been at work adapting American Dream Machine for FX Networks.

Articles

Footnotes of the Avenues: An Introduction to Stephen Hilger’s “In the Alley”
Matthew Spektor analyzes the Los Angeles photography of Stephen Hilger’s “In the Alley.”
Matthew SpecktorJun 14, 2023
- Art & Architecture
- Memoir & Essay
Not Your Grandfather’s Hollywood Novel
“Chinatown” meets “Barton Fink” in this brilliant dark fantasy about Hollywood — and the deserts that surround it.
Matthew SpecktorAug 3, 2021
- Fiction
The Mythmaker Gazes at Himself: A Conversation with David Leo Rice
Matthew Specktor and author David Leo Rice discuss his book series, “A Room in Dodge City.”
Matthew SpecktorJan 12, 2021
- Fiction
A Preoccupation with Consciousness: Matthew Weiner’s “Heather, the Totality”
Matthew Specktor reviews Matthew Weiner's debut novel, "Heather, the Totality."
Matthew SpecktorNov 15, 2017
- Fiction
John Freeman Gill on His New York Novel, “The Gargoyle Hunters”
Matthew Specktor interviews John Freeman Gill about his debut novel "The Gargoyle Hunters," New York novels, and the built environment.
Matthew SpecktorMar 22, 2017
- Fiction
Pure Fruit
Katherine Taylor discusses her writing process, the autobiographical nature of writing, and the inspiration in California's Central Valley.
Matthew SpecktorMar 3, 2016
- Fiction
- Memoir & Essay
A Dissident Writer in Modern America
Has Renata Adler's genuine radicalism resulted in her being silenced?
Matthew SpecktorApr 17, 2015
- Nonfiction
Halloween Fiction Roundtable
Francesca Lia Block, Matthew Specktor, Stefan Kiesbye, Susan Straight, Toby BarlowOct 31, 2012
- Fiction
The Sliding Door: Matthew Specktor Interviews Paris Review Editor Lorin Stein
Matthew SpecktorOct 23, 2012
Impersonating Ourselves
It's no wonder that we are often confused by impostors, delighted by sock puppets, and relieved — most of us, anyway — that we remain singular.
Matthew SpecktorJan 14, 2012
Mentors: James Baldwin
He missed the first class. In fact, he missed the first three.
Matthew SpecktorJan 6, 2012