Alex Gilvarry
Alex Gilvarry has published 2 books. The recommended reading order starts with From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant (2012).
Alex Gilvarry is an American novelist who made his debut in 2012 with From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant, a book that introduced readers to his sharp, satirical take on contemporary life. A native of Staten Island, New York, he earned his MFA from CUNY Hunter College's Creative Writing Program in 2009 and quickly built a reputation that led to recognition by the National Book Foundation, which named him one of its 5 Under 35 in 2014.
His second novel, Eastman Was Here, followed in 2017. Beyond his fiction, Gilvarry has established himself as a voice in the wider literary conversation, contributing to NPR's All Things Considered and publishing work in the Paris Review Daily. He founded the Tottenville Review, a book review collaborative that brings readers and writers together around new work. Now a professor of creative writing at Monmouth University in New Jersey, he lives in Staten Island with his wife, fellow writer Alexandra Kleeman, and continues to split his time between there and Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Shelf & Shadows
Order of Standalone Novels
- Tagsromancegraphic-novelsliterary-fictionnon-fictionDescriptionWhat happens when ambition collides with the machinery of fear? Boyet Hernandez is a Filipino fashion designer who arrives in New York City chasing his dream. He wants to make it big. He wants to be somebody. But after 9/11, the city he's fallen for becomes a place where the wrong name, the wrong passport, the wrong moment can turn your life inside out. Gilvarry gives us a darkly comic novel that reads like a confession from a detention cell. Boyet's voice is sharp, self-aware, and utterly disarming as he recounts how a series of misunderstandings and bad luck landed him in Guantanamo Bay, labeled an enemy combatant. The fashion world glitz, the parties, the desperation to belong—all of it gets filtered through his wry, increasingly frantic narration. This is satire with teeth. It skewers post-9/11 paranoia, the absurdity of bureaucratic cruelty, and the American Dream's fine print. But it's also surprisingly tender, a portrait of a man who just wanted to create beautiful things and got caught in the crosshairs of history. Gilvarry's debut is bold, unsettling, and impossible to shake.Publication date24 December 2012Amazon rating4.3/5Print length320LanguageEnglishPublisherPenguin
- Tagsliterary-fictionhistorical-fictionnon-fictionDescriptionThis is a novel about what happens when a man runs out of places to hide from himself. Alan Eastman is a war correspondent whose career has been built on other people's suffering, and now his own life is unraveling—his marriage is over, his reputation is crumbling, and he's been sent to cover a conflict he can barely muster the energy to care about. So he does what any self-destructive writer would do: he flees to the Philippines under the guise of work, chasing one last chance at relevance. But the Philippines isn't a backdrop for redemption—it's a mirror. Eastman stumbles through Manila with all the arrogance of a man who thinks his pain is exceptional, drinking too much, making terrible decisions, and confronting the wreckage of who he's become. The war he's supposed to be covering becomes secondary to the war he's waging with himself, and Gilvarry doesn't let him off easy. This is sharp, unsentimental fiction about masculinity, privilege, and the lies we tell ourselves when we're falling apart. Gilvarry writes Eastman with unflinching clarity—he's neither hero nor villain, just a man whose self-awareness arrives too late. It's uncomfortable, darkly funny, and brutally honest about the kind of person who mistakes chaos for meaning.Publication date15 November 2018Amazon rating3.4/5Print length368LanguageEnglishPublisherPenguin
Frequently Asked Questions about Alex Gilvarry
Alex Gilvarry writes standalone novels. His books can be read in any order. The two novels he has published are From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant, released in 2012, and Eastman Was Here, released in 2018. Both offer distinct narratives and can be enjoyed independently of each other. Readers may choose to start with the earlier publication or the more recent one based on personal preference. The stories do not depend on prior knowledge of each other's plots or characters.
Readers can start with either of Alex Gilvarry's published novels, From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant (2012) or Eastman Was Here (2018). Both are standalone works, meaning they do not require reading in a specific sequence. Starting with From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant offers a look at his debut novel, while Eastman Was Here presents his more recent work. The choice depends on whether you prefer to begin with his first published story or his latest.
No, Alex Gilvarry's novels are standalone. This means each book tells a complete story that does not rely on previous or subsequent books for understanding. You can pick up either From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant (2012) or Eastman Was Here (2018) without having read the other. The narratives are self-contained, allowing readers to enjoy them in any order they choose without missing crucial plot points or character developments.
Alex Gilvarry writes standalone novels. He has published two novels, From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant (2012) and Eastman Was Here (2018). These books are not part of a series and do not share a common narrative thread that requires sequential reading. Each novel presents a distinct story and characters, allowing readers to engage with them individually.
Alex Gilvarry has written two novels: From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant, published in 2012, and Eastman Was Here, published in 2018. These are his known published works. Information about any other forms of writing or unpublished projects is not readily available. The focus for readers interested in his published output is on these two distinct literary works.
The first book Alex Gilvarry wrote and published was From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant, released in 2012. This novel marked his debut in publishing. It is a standalone work that introduced readers to his narrative style. Following this, he published Eastman Was Here in 2018, another standalone novel.
Alex Gilvarry's most recent book is Eastman Was Here, published in 2018. This is a standalone novel. It followed his earlier work, From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant, which was published in 2012. Readers looking for his latest published fiction will find Eastman Was Here.
Alex Gilvarry writes novels. His published works, From the Memoirs of a Non-Enemy Combatant (2012) and Eastman Was Here (2018), are distinct standalone narratives. While specific genre labels can be subjective, his novels often explore themes related to identity, displacement, and the complexities of navigating different cultural landscapes. The books are characterized by their narrative voice and engagement with contemporary issues.
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We verified the reading order for Alex Gilvarry's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.
Last verified: March 2026
Shelf & Shadows. (…). “Alex Gilvarry Books in Order.” Retrieved …, from https://www.shelfandshadows.com/authors/alex-gilvarry