Ask The Puma Research Guides: A Conversation with My Father

A Conversation with My Father

Grace Paley was an American author and social/political activist.  Her works often concern Jewish characters from New York City that reflect her own background.  “A Conversation with My Father” is a short story from Paley’s 1974 collection entitled Enormous Changes at the Last Minute.  In this story, an older, dying, bedridden father confronts his grown writer-daughter, telling her that the story she is composing for him is not tragic enough!

LINCCWeb online catalog – Search Terms

• A Conversation with My Father   (Books – Containing the Words – East Campus)
• Paley, Grace (Books – Exact Phrase – East Campus)

Call Numbers for Browsing the Shelves

• PS508 .J4 J45 2001
• PS3566 .A46  Z89 1990

Circulating Books and Materials – A Selected List

•  Chametzky, Jules (Editor).  Jewish-American Literature: A Norton Anthology.  2001.

                    Call Number:  PS508 .J4 J45 2001    *(See pages 794-795, 799-803.)

• Taylor, Jacqueline.  Grace Paley: Illuminating the Dark Lives.  1990.    

                    Call Number:  PS3566 .A46 Z89 1990    *(See pages 9, 32, 48, 69-73, 83, 91, 122.)

Reference Materials

• Contemporary Literary Criticism. – Call Number:  REF PN771 .C59

o Volume 6, pages 392-393

o Volume 37, page 332

o Volume 140, pages 211-216, 224-225, 231, 243-248, 263-264, 268, 277, 282

o Volume 272, pages 124, 126, 133, 144

• Masterplots II: Short Story Series (Revised Ed.). – Call Number:  REF PN3326 .M27 2004

o Volume 2, pages 733-735

• Short Stories for Students. – Call Number:  REF PN3330  .S386

o Volume 3, pages 63-79

• Short Story Criticism. – Call Number:  REF PN3321 .S5

o Volume 8, pages 390-392, 395, 399-402, 405, 407, 415-418

Research Databases

To access Valencia’s research databases, open your Atlas account, select “Search the Library,” then select “Databases A-Z.”

• Academic Search Complete
• Literary Reference Center Plus
• Literature Resources from Gale
• Virtual Reference Library  *(Use   Subject Guide Search.  Type in  A Conversation with My

       Father.) 

This Research Guide is designed to help users find information on a particular topic within the Valencia College East Campus Library.  This is by no means a comprehensive list of resources and other resources may be available on this topic.  Please check the LINCCWeb, Valencia East’s online catalog, to verify the availability of circulating books within the library.  Feel free to ask a librarian for help if you need further assistance.

Valencia College East Campus Library

Last Revised on November 21, 2021