How do I love this novel? Virtually every word of poet Anne Michaels’s novel about memory, loss, and love is a jewel. Little Jakob Beer escapes being seized by Nazis in Poland with the eventual help of a Greek geologist who takes him first to live on the island of Zakynthos and then in…(Read More)
In this Canadian classic by Margaret Laurence, a proudly independent woman in her 90s struggles against being committed to a nursing home, while the reader journeys through her long life on the prairies of Manitoba. Hagar Shipley is not the most likeable of narrators but she is certainly memorable. Somewhat akin to Cather’s work…(Read More)
Kamouraska
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Set in Quebec in the early 1800s and loosely based on a true story, Kamouraska by Anne Hébert weaves back and forth through time to spin a tale of remorse if not exactly regret. On the deathbed of her solid second husband, an exhausted semi-delirious woman recalls the murder of her debauched first…(Read More)
Indies First
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Sherman Alexie, the National Book Award-winning author, has launched a grassroots movement dubbed “Indies First” to help support independent bookstores, whereby authors volunteer to spend Saturday, November 30, at an independent bookstore chatting with customers, making book-choice suggestions, and signing their own work. It’s a wonderful important idea that has received huge…(Read More)
Such an honor to discover An Unexpected Guest alongside Mrs. Dalloway as required reading for the creative writing senior elective “Women Writers” at Notre Dame Academy in Worcester. Thanks for choosing it, Mrs. Haley, and best of luck to all of you young women writers…(Read More)
Così bella
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It is such a pleasure having An Unexpected Guest out in Italy, where it is known as Quando Eravamo Foglie nel Vento, and Italian readers have been so welcoming. For example: “Romanzo veramente magistrale, con un plot molto bene intessuto, con una suspense invidiabile, in uno stile elegante e raffinato.” (A truly masterful novel, with…(Read More)
Read Her Like An Open Book blog calls An Unexpected Guest, “An unexpected pleasure… a remarkably well-written novel and a spellbinding read.” To read the full review, look here…(Read More)
A new Q & A
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A conversation about writing, Paris, Virginia Woolf, choosing book titles, the truth of expatriate life, favorite books, and favorite wines. Among other things. To read, look here…(Read More)
“An intriguing book of many layers and many storylines… The narration moves smoothly from the past to present and back again and it is a fast paced read that kept me page turning well into the night.. I look forward to reading more from Anne.” To see the rest of this review in The French…(Read More)
An Unexpected Guest (aka Quanto Eravamo Foglie Nel Vento) is cooking up a storm in Italy. To see how, look here…(Read More)
