Book · 2019 · Fiction
Ducks, Newburyport
- mentions
- 6
- people
- 4
- podcasts
- 2
- episodes
- 6
- recommendations
- 2
Another book that was really influential as I was working on the stream of consciousness is a stream-of-consciousness novel by Lucy Ellmann called Ducks, Newburyport. It’s 1,000 pages, one sentence. And that sounds I know that sounds really daunting and I’m not going to pick that up. You can open it anywhere you want, read 10 pages.
Michael Pollan · The Ezra Klein Show · Mar 2026 Listen at 1:29:15 What they say about it
- Influential stream of consciousness novel“influential as I was working on the stream of consciousness”2
The best things said about it
Another book that was really influential as I was working on the stream of consciousness is a stream of consciousness novel by Lucy Ellmann called Ducks, Newburyport. It's a thousand pages, one sentence, and that sounds really daunting.
Michael Pollan The Book Review · May 2026 But it's also in the case of this book Ducks Newberry Port by Lucy Elman a deep pleasure.
And I and I just in general am a big fan of the Canadian press biblioasis which put out one of my favorite books of recent years called Ducks Newberry Port which is this immense book told in one sentence and continually sort of puts out really sort of creative strange Innovative books.
4 people who brought it up
Why people recommend it
Ducks, Newburyport by Lucy Ellmann is a massive, highly experimental stream-of-consciousness novel told almost entirely through a single, sprawling sentence spanning roughly one thousand pages. Michael Pollan enthusiastically recommended the book on both The Book Review and The Ezra Klein Show, describing it as a deeply influential work that accompanied his own writing journey regarding the nature of human consciousness. While acknowledging that its immense length and unconventional structure might initially feel daunting to prospective readers, Pollan emphasized the profound rewards of engaging with its torrential flow. Alexandra Alter and Parul Sehgal also examined the novel on The Book Review, discussing its prestigious recognition as a Booker Prize finalist and praising the bold editorial choices of the Canadian independent press Biblioasis in bringing such innovative literature to the public. Pamela Paul joined the discussion by reviewing year-end reading lists with Parul Sehgal, highlighting the sheer scale of Ellmann's achievement alongside other monumental works. Together, these podcast contributors portrayed the novel as an extraordinary, immersive literary feat that challenges traditional narrative boundaries and rewards patient readers with an astonishingly detailed mirror of modern anxiety, domestic life, and the chaotic rhythm of contemporary thought.
Every mention
Michael Pollan Another book that was really influential as I was working on the stream of consciousness is a stream of con… 2
“Another book that was really influential as I was working on the stream of consciousness is a stream of consciousness novel by Lucy Ellmann called Ducks, Newburyport. It's a thousand pages, one sentence, and that sounds really daunting”
“Another book that was really influential as I was working on the stream of consciousness is a stream-of-consciousness novel by Lucy Ellmann called "Ducks, Newburyport" It’s 1,000 pages, one sentence. And that sounds I know that sounds really daunting and I’m not going to pick that up. You can open it anywhere you want, read 10 pages...”
Parul Sehgal but it's also in the case of this book Ducks Newberry Port by Lucy Elman a deep pleasure 2
“and I and I just in general am a big fan of the Canadian press biblioasis which put out one of my favorite books of recent years called Ducks Newberry Port which is this immense book told in one sentence and continually sort of puts out really sort of creative strange Innovative books”
“but it's also in the case of this book Ducks Newberry Port by Lucy Elman a deep pleasure”
Alexandra Alter and finally the only American on the short list this year is Lucy Elman who was chosen for her novel Ducks… 1
“and finally the only American on the short list this year is Lucy Elman who was chosen for her novel Ducks Newber Port which is highly experimental”
Pamela Paul parl two of your best books were more than a thousand pages... ducks Newberry Port by Lucy Elman and annive… 1
“parl two of your best books were more than a thousand pages... ducks Newberry Port by Lucy Elman and anniversaries by U Johnson”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“Ducks Newberry Port by Lucy Alman”