Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 22, 2026

Rafi Zabor

Rafi Zabor is a Brooklyn, New York–based music journalist- and musician-turned-novelist.

Last revised
Jun 22, 2026
Read time
≈ 1 min
Length
273 w
Citations
9
Source
Rafi Zabor
Born
Joel Zaborovsky

(1946-08-22) August 22, 1946
OccupationNovelist, music critic
NationalityAmerican
Alma materBrooklyn College
Notable worksThe Bear Comes Home
Notable awardsPEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction
1998 The Bear Comes Home

Rafi Zabor (born Joel Zaborovsky,1 August 22, 1946)2 is a Brooklyn, New York–based music journalist- and musician-turned-novelist.

Life and work

A graduate of Brooklyn College, Zabor became a jazz critic for Musician in 1977, and later became an editor for the magazine.3

He received the 1998 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for his first novel, The Bear Comes Home, which follows an alto saxophonist – who happens to be a bear – in his pursuit of musical perfection.4

Zabor's second book, the memoir I, Wabenzi, was commercially unsuccessful and met with mixed critical response.3

In 2008, Zabor received an NEA Literature Fellowship.3

As of 2011, he was reportedly working on a new novel, to be titled The Bosphorus Dogs.5

Zabor is also a jazz drummer.13

Bibliography

Bibliography

References

References

  1. Biederman, Marcia (July 19, 1998). "Who Is Rafi Zabor?". New York Times. New York City. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
  2. Rafi Zabor (August 22, 2008). "Updoc". Taintradio.org (Podcast). Retrieved August 23, 2008.
  3. Zabor, Rafi (2008). "NEA Writers' Corner: Rafi Zabor". National Endowment for the Arts. Archived from the original on September 17, 2008. Retrieved June 9, 2008.
  4. Zabor, Rafi (April 13, 1998). "Literary Paws". NewsHour (Interview). Interviewed by Elizabeth Farnsworth. PBS. Archived from the original on February 23, 1999. Retrieved June 16, 2008.
  5. ""The Bosphorus Dogs," a novel by Rafi Zabor". October 9, 2011.
External links