'Silver Linings Playbook' Scribe Reflects on Roots

The film adaptation of Matthew Quick's novel is nominated for eight Oscars. The former Collingswood man ruminates on literary success, competing with yourself and why the Philadelphia Eagles need new uniforms.

COLLINGSWOOD, NJ -- Matthew Quick had a tenured teaching gig at Haddonfield Memorial High School. His wife, Alicia Bessette, was a professor at Bryn Mawr. The job security was great, but long hours started to drive the pair apart. To save their relationship, they abandoned the stability of their traditional careers to travel and take a chance on writing. Today both are published authors. Quick’s debut novel, The Silver Linings Playbook, was sold as a movie property before it was ever published. The movie version quickly took the cinema world by fire, garnering eight Oscar nominations, including one for Jennifer Lawrence, widely considered a front runner in the best actress category. Quick lived in Collingswood for a time while beginning …

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Robb C. Sewell

6:47 pm on Sunday, February 24, 2013

Q is one of the most approachable scribes I've ever met. We met him (and his lovely wife Alicia) weeks before we moved here in December 2010. Q and Alicia were selling/signing their books at an event at Yogawood. I bought Q's "Sorta Like a Rock Star," which I read in about 2-3 days. One of the most heartfelt, compelling, and beautiful novels I've ever read. Collingswood is proud to count Q as one…   more ›

Author Matthew Quick Comes Home

The 1992 graduate of Collingswood High School returned to his alma mater to talk about the literary life.

Philly fans love their Iggles, showing fierce loyalty to their hometown heroes.  Matthew Quick fans apparently feel the same way about the local boy made good.  About 300 people filled the lower level of the Collingswood High School auditorium Monday evening to welcome home Quick, a 1992 graduate of the school, who grew up in neighboring Oaklyn.  Many of them were teenagers clutching copies of Quick's newest release, the young-adult novel Boy 21. (A video trailer for the book stars Collingswood senior Chris Michael. Click on the link to the right to view the trailer.) But, the question on a fair number of people's minds was: What's Bradley Cooper really like in person?  Quick's first novel, The Siliver Linings Playbook, published in 2008, …

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Former Haddonfield Teacher Discusses a Film Made from His Book

Matthew Quick grew up in Collingswood and taught at Haddonfield Memorial High School.