Description

An Ocean Without A Shore

In An Ocean Without a Shore, a tantalizing novel by the eminent author of Endless Love and Man in the Woods, we jump into the timeless dilemma of unrequited love. The story revolves around Kip Woods, who has been infatuated with Thaddeus Kaufman since their college days. However, Thaddeus is now a married father of two, desperately attempting to revive his failing career.

Kip’s unwavering devotion to Thaddeus has shaped his life and altered his destiny, yet Thaddeus remains oblivious or unwilling to acknowledge it. Throughout this gripping narrative, set against the backdrop of privilege and affluence in Manhattan and the Hudson Valley, Kip is confronted with the prison he has constructed for himself and must decide how much he is willing to sacrifice for a love that may never be reciprocated.

River Under the Road

Building upon the foundation laid in his previous novel, River Under the Road, Scott Spencer masterfully crafts a tale that echoes the passion and obsession found in his classic work, Endless Love. An Ocean Without a Shore offers readers an intimate and immersive experience, delving into the depths of the devastation we can inflict in the pursuit of love.

It also explores the bitterness that can consume a friendship when plagued by unquenchable yearning. Spencer’s writing paints a vivid and unsettling portrait of the human condition, leaving readers thrilled by the complexities of love and friendship and the sacrifices we are willing to make in their pursuit.

Scott Spencer

About The Author

Scott Spencer, a preeminent author, was born in the vibrant city of Washington, DC. Growing up in the bustling streets of Chicago, he developed a deep appreciation for the diverse cultures and experiences that shaped his writing. Currently, he resides in the serene landscapes of upstate New York, where he finds inspiration in the tranquility of nature.

Having an impressive literary career spanning several decades, Scott Spencer has crafted a collection of magnetic novels that have left a lasting impact on readers worldwide. Some of his notable works include the timeless classic “Endless Love,” the thought-provoking “Waking the Dead,” the intricately woven “A Ship Made of Paper,” and the compelling “Willing.”

His remarkable achievements as an author, Scott Spencer has also shared his wealth of knowledge and passion for writing through teaching. He has imparted his wisdom to aspiring writers at esteemed institutions such as the University of Iowa, Williams College, and Columbia University. Furthermore, his insightful nonfiction pieces have graced the pages of esteemed publications like Rolling Stone, the New Yorker, O, The Oprah Magazine, Harper’s, and the New York Times, solidifying his reputation as a versatile and respected writer in both fiction and nonfiction realms.

Praise & Editorial Reviews

“Love hurts, power corrupts, and money makes the world go round, but it takes a first-rate artist to say something new and final about all three. In An Ocean Without A Shore, Scott Spencer proves just that. A fierce observer with the soul of a romantic, he knows what matters most: that our folly, put on display, should wreck, ravish, engulf us.”  — Joshua Ferris 

“In elegantly turned phrases and brilliantly nuanced dialogue, Scott Spencer has populated ‘An Ocean without a Shore’ with fully formed, complex, deeply sympathetic characters, each of whom shines a dazzling light on what men and women will do in the name of love.”  — Francine Prose

“An Ocean Without a Shore is a classic Scott Spencer novel: as always, he writes masterfully on the pain of longing and traces, with exacting detail, the hidden forces that animate his character’s lives. Spencer is one of my very favorite writers, and this is a wonderful book.”  — Emma Cline 

“Spencer’s writing is always a pleasure.” — Kirkus Reviews

“If you entertain any doubts about love’s capacity to lacerate us, to transfigure us, to redeem us even as it crushes us, Scott Spencer’s An Ocean Without a Shore will put those doubts to rest.  It’s a harrowing, insidiously gorgeous, entirely remarkable novel.”
— Michael Cunningham

“Brutal, romantic, and absorbing, An Ocean Without a Shore is about people you thought you knew, people who, it turns out, you didn’t know at all. Spencer is masterful at describing the way side-lined passion can grow huge, anguished, and essential.” — Mary Gaitskill

“Spencer has a gift for depicting the ecstasies and torments of romantic love with crisp detail and deliberate restraint, and it is this quality, together with Kip’s haunted narrative voice, that give this tale special resonance.” — Booklist