Above Ground

novel by Ludwig

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July 23, 2026

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Above Ground is a novel by Jack Ludwig, published in 1968. The protagonist, after spending much of his youth in hospital rooms, finds a sense of renewal through sexual relationships with various women. The novel, along with Ludwig's first novel Confusions, received mixed reviews, with critics often finding his characters to be two-dimensional and unsympathetic. Ludwig was a Canadian writer known for his short stories and sports journalism, though he also produced three novels.1

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Jack Ludwig
The hero of Above Ground (1968), after spending most of his youth in hospital rooms, finds rejuvenation in sexual encounters with a series of willing women. Both novels received mixed critical reviews; Ludwig’s characters were two-dimensional and unsympathetic. He was more successful in his third novel, A Woman…
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The hero of Above Ground (1968), after spending most of his youth in hospital rooms, finds rejuvenation in sexual encounters with a series of willing women. Both novels received mixed critical reviews; Ludwig’s characters were two-dimensional and unsympathetic. He was more successful in his third novel, A Woman…
Read More