Adam Ross

Adam Ross is the author of Playworld (2025), a critically acclaimed novel praised for its immersive storytelling, vivid prose, and powerful exploration of coming-of-age themes. With this latest work, Ross continues to solidify his place as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary fiction.

He first gained national attention with his debut novel, Mr. Peanut, a New York Times Notable Book and one of the best books of 2010 according to The New Yorker, The New Republic, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Economist. His short story collection, Ladies and Gentlemen, features “In the Basement,” a finalist for the BBC International Story Prize.

Ross’s nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times Book Review, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, The Daily Beast, and Nashville Scene. He has held fellowships at the American Academy in Berlin and Princeton University, and currently serves as editor of The Sewanee Review, the nation’s oldest continuously published literary quarterly.