The Gold Bug Variations
1991 book by Richard Powers
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The Gold Bug Variations is a novel by American writer Richard Powers, first released in 1991.
First edition | |
| Author | Richard Powers |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Publisher | William Morrow & Company |
| Publication date | August 1, 1991 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (hardback & paperback) |
| ISBN | 0-688-09891-6 |
| OCLC | 22665566 |
| Dewey Decimal | 813/.54 20 |
| LC Class | PS3566.O92 G65 1991 |
Plot introduction
The novel intertwines the discovery of the chemical structure of DNA with the musicality of Johann Sebastian Bach's harpsichord composition the Goldberg Variations. A similar theme is explored by Douglas Hofstadter in his 1979 book Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Eternal Golden Braid. The title also alludes to Edgar Allan Poe's 1843 short story "The Gold-Bug", which is incorporated in the plot of the novel.[1]
The plot hinges on two love affairs: the first set in the 1950s, between two scientists intent on discovering the mysteries of DNA; the second in the 1980s, between two lovers who befriend the scientist featured in the novel's flashbacks.
Awards
The Gold Bug Variations has received the following awards:
- Time Book of the Year, 1991
- Publishers Weekly Best Books of 1991
- Vrij Nederland Best Books of 1991
- The New York Times Notable Book, 1991
- De Morgen Best Book of 1991 (named in 1999, in a compilation of the best books each year over the last half century)
- Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction, 1991
