Alive in Necropolis
Dorst’s debut novel and a representative introduction to his fiction.
Author guide
Doug Dorst Books in Order
Doug Dorst is an American novelist, short-story writer, and playwright. He is the author of Alive in Necropolis, The Surf Guru, and S., a collaborative novel conceived by J. J. Abrams and written with Dorst. His first play, Monster in the Dark, was created with foolsFURY Theater Company and performed in San Francisco and Berkeley in 2008. Dorst is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and a former Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford University. His fiction has appeared in McSweeney’s, Ploughshares, ZYZZYVA, and other journals, as well as in the anthologies Significant Objects and Politically Inspired.
novelsshort storiesplays
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
The Surf Guru
A standalone collection showcasing the range of his short fiction.
S.
His best-known collaborative novel and an inventive reading experience.
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (2)
- Alive in Necropolis
novel · 2008
A "dark and funny debut"(Seattle-Times) about a young police officer struggling to maintain a sense of reality in a town where the dead outnumber the living. Colma, California, the "cemetery city" serving San Francisco, is the resting…
- S.
novel · 2013
This one-of-a-kind bestseller from J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst captures the excitement of solving a mystery like no other book: "Both as literature and as a physical object, S. is a profound and tremendous work of art" (Miami Herald). One…
Short fiction (1)
- The Surf Guru
short-story-collection · 2010
From the author of Alive in Necropolis "a brazen, roiling, confident collection." (Los Angeles Times). This is a book of brilliant, adventurous stories from award-winning author Doug Dorst, widely celebrated as one of the most creative,…
Plays (1)
- Monster in the Dark
play · 2008
Frequently asked questions about Doug Dorst
Who is Doug Dorst, and what does he do?
Doug Dorst is an American novelist, short-story writer, playwright, and creative-writing educator. He is an associate professor of English at Texas State University.
Sources: dougdorst.com (opens in a new tab)mycatalog.txstate.edu (opens in a new tab)
What did Doug Dorst study before becoming a writer?
Dorst earned a B.A. from Stanford University and a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, then studied at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and became a Wallace Stegner Fellow at Stanford.
Sources: sfpl.org (opens in a new tab)dougdorst.com (opens in a new tab)
Who are Doug Dorst’s literary influences?
In an interview, Dorst named Denis Johnson, Adam Johnson, Steve Elliott, and David Mitchell among his literary influences.
How did Doug Dorst work with J. J. Abrams on S.?
Abrams originated the idea for a novel unfolding within another novel, while Dorst developed the story and wrote the book. They refined its characters, themes, structure, and physical design through extensive collaboration.
Sources: lareviewofbooks.org (opens in a new tab)publishersweekly.com (opens in a new tab)
What honors has Doug Dorst received for his writing?
Alive in Necropolis was selected for San Francisco’s 2009 One City One Book program and won the 2009 Emperor Norton Award. It was also a finalist or runner-up for several literary prizes, including the PEN/Hemingway Award.
Sources: dougdorst.com (opens in a new tab)sfpl.org (opens in a new tab)