National Book Award finalist! Julia Phillips, BEAR

National Book Award finalist Julia Phillips joins Zibby to discuss BEAR, a spellbinding and richly imagined novel about survival, obsession, and two sisters on San Juan Island whose lives are disrupted by the arrival of a mysterious bear. Julia delves into the symbolic and narrative significance of the bear, drawing inspiration from Grimm’s fairy tales and her personal fascination with the animal. She touches on family dynamics, isolation, violence, and resilience, all set against the backdrop of a vividly depicted island. She also delves into her writing process, her research into bear behavior, and her upcoming project—this time set on Cape Cod.

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