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Machine dreams

Machine dreams

Historical FictionLiterary Fiction
Pages
352
Published
1985
Language
English

Synopsis

The story of the Hampsons--Mitch, Jean, Danner, and Billy--from the Depression through the Vietnam War.

Prose complexity
5/10

Vibe

MelancholicReflectiveEmotionalComplex
Family SagaComing of Age

Genres

Historical Fiction Literary Fiction

About the author

J
Jayne Anne Phillips

Jayne Anne Phillips (born July 19, 1952, in Buckhannon, West Virginia) is an American novelist and short story writer. She earned an MFA from the University of Iowa Writers' Workshop and won early acclaim with her story collection Black Tickets (1979). Her later novels include Machine Dreams, Shelter, MotherKind, Lark and Termite (a National Book Award finalist), and Night Watch (2023), which won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. Phillips founded and directed the MFA program in creative writi...

Characters

Mitch HampsonSupporting

One of the Hampson family members whose story is told from the Depression through the Vietnam War.

Jean HampsonSupporting

One of the Hampson family members whose story is told from the Depression through the Vietnam War.

Danner HampsonSupporting

One of the Hampson family members whose story is told from the Depression through the Vietnam War.

Billy HampsonSupporting

One of the Hampson family members whose story is told from the Depression through the Vietnam War.

All characters in Machine dreams

Frequently asked questions

  • Does Machine Dreams have a film adaptation?

    A film adaptation of Machine Dreams was released in 1988, directed by David Burton Morris and starring Jon Voight and Mary Stuart Masterson.

  • How does Machine Dreams relate to Jayne Anne Phillips' other works?

    Machine Dreams is often considered a departure from Phillips' earlier short story collections, showcasing her ability to sustain a complex narrative across a multi-generational family saga.

  • Is Machine Dreams based on a true story?

    While the Hampson family is fictional, the novel draws heavily on Jayne Anne Phillips' own family history and experiences growing up in West Virginia, particularly her parents' letters and journals from World War II.