Tim Tharp Books In Order

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Tim Tharp is an American author of fiction. He is probably best known to readers for his young adult novel The Spectacular Now. He was born in Henrietta, Oklahoma, in the eastern part of the state. They moved to Midwest City when he was seven years old because his father got a job as the associate editor of the city newspaper.

Tharp created comic strips and developed an interest in writing as a young kid. He first fell in love with writing fiction in fifth grade, and he vowed to himself that one day he would be a writer– a goal that he has accomplished!

Even as he played football in high school, Tharp knew that his ambitions lay with writing. He wrote a regular column for the school newspaper and in addition to being the editor began writing short stories at the time, inspired by writers like Kurt Vonnegut and Ernest Hemingway.

Tharp earned a B.A. from the University of Oklahoma and attended Brown University, where he received his M.F.A. He has worked in many positions and jobs over the years, including as a construction laborer, a factory hand, a hitchhiker, a record store clerk, and a psychiatric aide. He resides in Oklahoma, where he teaches at Rose State College in the Humanities Department and writes when he isn’t working.

His debut fiction novel was titled Falling Dark and was released in Milkweed Press in 1999. It was awarded the Milkweed National Fiction Prize. His second novel was released in 2006 and is titled Knights of the Hill Country. It was his first-ever novel written for young adults. It did quite well and was named to the Best Books of 2007 List by the American Library Association.

His young adult novel The Spectacular Now was released in 2008 by Knopf Books. The book did very well and was popular among audiences and became a finalist in the running for the 2008 National Book Award.

The Spectacular Now was turned into a feature-length film that was released to audiences on September 13, 2013. Miles Teller plays the main character of Sutter Keely. He is a senior in high school and effortless at charming people. But while this big man on campus thinks he has it all figured out, his entire world changes when he meets a girl.

Sutter is the life of every party, and his effortless life seems to be one where he can coast forever. But then his girlfriend Cassidy decides that Sutter is a lost cause and dumps him. Sutter drinks all night and ends up waking up on the lawn of Amy Finicky (played by Shailene Woodley), a girl he barely knows but has seen around school. As he gets to know her better, he finds out that he really likes the girl next door. But is he a good fit for her, or will his paranoia about becoming just like his father mean their relationship is doomed?

Directed by James Ponsoldt, the film had its premiere at the 2013 Sundance Festival. It received great critical acclaim and then was released in the United States. The film grossed six million worldwide and led to more roles for Woodley and Teller in other feature films.

Falling Dark is Tim Tharp’s first novel. It is a chronicle of idealists as well as fallen dreamers from the sixties. Donna Bless is the main character, and she has a drinking problem that prevents her from having what others might deem a normal life. She is constantly drunk and cannot keep up with her life or reality, so her two sons are left to fend for themselves.

Even though she has essentially abandoned being a mother, Donna Bless still has room to date. She thinks that she has met a match in Roy Dale, but has she really? Roy is boastful and a shell of a man, and while he seems like a gentleman, it clearly becomes apparent that he has too many demons to live up to the image that he projects. What will happen? Pick up Falling Dark to find out.

Knights of the Hill Country is Tim Tharp’s second fictional novel. The setting is a small town in Oklahoma, and in Kennisaw the Kennisaw Knights are king. Friday night lights are a big deal in this small town where the Friday night game of high school football is as regular an event as going to church on Sunday for the people of this town.

In this town, Hampton is the star linebacker for his team, the Kennisaw Knights. They are going for their fifth undefeated season in a row this year. If they can do it, they’ll be more than just the best football team in their country, they’ll be legends. It’s a lot of pressure for Hampton, who is the best player on the team.

You would be quick to admire Hampton if you saw him on the field, where he’s in control. But Hampton’s personal life is a mess and far different from what many would think that life is like for the star athlete. His father ran out on the family years ago, and now his mom has a different boyfriend every single week. Hampton himself is attracted to a cute and intelligent girl at his school, but worries what pursuing that interest would do to his image of the star athlete.

Meanwhile, Hampton is having issues with his best friend Blaine, who’s also his teammate. He was the one who introduced him to football in the days when Hampton had little going for him. Now his friend is becoming competitive with him and Hampton isn’t sure why– maybe jealousy? Even worse, Blaine has no idea how he’s acting and is demanding the loyalty of his friend unconditionally.

Now, this star linebacker must face more than just the big games. Hampton is ultimately going to be faced with a choice about what type of man he really wants to be on and off the field. If you loved Friday Night Lights or The Blind Side, you will really enjoy this unforgettable novel by Tim Tharp that explores everything from loyalty to morality to sportsmanship and what it means to be a legend and individual in today’s world.