Patti Smith chronicles her idiosyncratic path through the creative life in Year of the Monkey
…inimitable as planets, as unstoppable as comets — that’s how her voice seemed when she first came roaring out of the dull politeness of the radio. She came straight toward…
Novelist Louise Erdrich draws from her own family history for The Night Watchman
…outlined Chippewa control over their remaining lands, guaranteed vital federal services, and recognized the tribal status of the Chippewa — and ultimately, the status of all Native tribes. Losing the…
Lorraine López sends up the foibles of arts faculty in Postcards from the Gerund State
…women grow inhibited by a myriad of potential consequences, both personal and professional, believing they must bridle “that unspeakable temptation not to be nice.” But for Lucinda, confrontation grows inevitable….
A brother and sister wrestle with the past in Ann Patchett’s The Dutch House
From school shootings to toddlers in cages, our historical moment can feel like a Grimm’s fairy tale. It’s no surprise, then, that our leading novelists have often couched their work…
A fiercely independent teen must learn how to trust and rely on others
…summer to pay the rent and bills until her mother comes home — whenever that might be. But like so many best-laid plans, this one crumbles. A social worker shows…
Casey Cep’s Furious Hours tells the true story of Harper Lee’s plan to out-Capote her old friend Truman Capote
…planned to call The Reverend. Cep notes that Lee grew up in courtrooms, learning from the legal maneuvers of her father and older sister, Alice, an experience which made her…
