ASU professor's novel on Oprah's summer reading list

“Rockaway,” a new novel by Tara Ison, assistant professor of English at Arizona State University, has been named to O, The Oprah Magazine’s 2013 “Best of Summer” Reading List.

In the magazine’s July 2013 issue, reviewer Karen Russell chose the book as one of her five “un-put-down-able” titles, saying, “It's a sheer joy to stay in the company of Ison's voice.”

Ison teaches fiction in ASU’s creative writing program. She is the recipient of multiple literary honors, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council and Yaddo artists' community. Formerly a Hollywood screenwriter, she co-wrote the cult film “Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead.”

“Rockaway,” is Ison’s third novel.

The Department of English is an academic unit in ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.