The novelist and short story writer on her new book about Azrael, the angel of death, her encounters with Raymond Carver and Richard Yates, and why fiction should be uncannyJoy Williams, 80, has written five novels and four story collections and is the recipient of numerous awards. Her most recent book of short stories, Concerning the Future of Souls: 99 Stories of Azrael (Tuskar Rock), was published earlier this year. Her work ranges from the philosophical examination of being, belief and morality to urgent engagements with environmental catastrophe; James Salter wrote of her that she belongs in the company of Céline and Flannery O’Connor. Born in Massachusetts, she now lives in the Sonoran desert.An earlier collection of yours was called 99 Stories of God, and now you’ve moved on to Azrael (the angel of death and transporter of souls) as the subject. What drew you to him?I read in a WS Merwin collection his translation of Hadrian’s deathbed poem to his soul – Animula vagula blandula – so sorrowful and succinct. The soul, a worthy subject. And Azrael has always fascinated me: he was death, but not death exactly. He was more a gorgeous creation of Islam. I picture him as responsible for all the souls of this ensouled Earth. Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'
[ The Guardian | 2024-10-19 17:00:20 UTC ]
News tagged with:
#uncannyjoy williams
#story collections
#numerous awards
#published earlier
#work ranges
#philosophical examination
#urgent engagements
#environmental catastrophe
#sonoran desert
#earlier collection
#ve moved
#deathbed poem
#gorgeous creation
#ensouled earth
#recent book
He has sold more than 20 million books and is one of the most respected crime writers in the world, but Ian Rankin still feels like an imposter. Continue reading at Stuff
[ Stuff | 2017-05-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#ian rankin
Pan Macmillan imprint Bluebird is partnering with Twitter to launch its first “How to Eat Well” tour in June. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Three children's authors have been featured on the annual Sunday Times Rich List for the first time. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Joanna Trollope called it "justice at last", as legislation making the UK the first country in the world to extend Public Lending Right (PLR) to include remote loans of ebooks and audiobooks was finally passed. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
From Gulf News: Aimed at cross-promotion of each other's cultural initiatives, the new Serbia-Sharjah agreement will come into play at book fairs. The post Serbia’s National Library in Cultural Partnership With Sharjah Book Authority appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-05-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#national library
#gulf news
#book fairs
Champion jockey Declan Murphy wasn’t expected to survive a horrific riding accident in 1994 - let alone live to tell the tale, in conjunction with writer Ami Rao. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
The Society of Authors (SoA) is calling on the next government to offer "more than just words" to help support British authors and the culture sector. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#soa calls
#support authors
#authors soa
US writer Bret Anthony Johnston has won this year's £30,000 Sunday Times EFG Short Story Award. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-28 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Despite shrinking participation from bookstores, Canada's Authors for Indies Day, which puts authors to work at independent bookstores, is moving ahead. The event, founded in 2015, will take place on Saturday, with 87 stores participating. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#independent bookstores
#indies day
#moving ahead
United Airlines will offer up to $10,000 when a traveler voluntarily gives up a seat on an oversold flight, part of a policy overhaul following the passenger-yanking video seen around the world. The Chicago-based carrier is adopting 10 policy changes in response to the outcry over the April 9... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-04-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#united airlines
As major universities like UC Berkeley abandon traditional book collections, the role of campus libraries is starting to look a little different from the good old days of an offline era. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2017-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#campus library
Once a decade, Granta picks the most-promising authors under 40 in the US and UK. Here are the 21 young American writers to watch this decadeThe age of anxiety: what does Granta’s list say about America?Jesse Ball, 38, was born in New York and has published six novels, a number of poetry and... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#halle butler
#emma cline
#lauren groff
#greg jackson
The US is in crisis - what about its literature? Michelle Dean reports on the list of American writers to watch this decade, which is as diverse as the country itselfThe 2017 list in fullIt is a strange time to be making declarations about the nature of American writing. The country’s not... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#strange time
#american writing
#philip roth
The British literary magazine Granta unveiled its Best of Young American Novelists list on Wednesday, honoring 21 U.S. writers younger than 40. Fiction by the selected authors will appear in the magazine's 139th issue. Many of the writers, despite their comparative youth, have already reached... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2017-04-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#selected authors
Maylis de Kerangal’s Mend The Living, which explores the emotional and physical complexities of organ donation, has been named as the £30,000 winner of the 2017 Wellcome Book Prize. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this |
Reissues aim to restore her darker stories of village intrigue for grownups to the popularity they once enjoyedRichmal Crompton has long been overshadowed by her creation Just William, but the darker side of her imagination is set to be rediscovered, with several of her lesser-known adult novels... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2017-04-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#richmal crompton
#darker stories
#darker side
#prolific writer
The US' Authors Guild widens its services with self-publishing instruction; university students in Turkey gain access to De Gruyter journal resources. The post Industry Notes: Turkey’s ANKOS Signs With De Gruyter; US Authors Guild Issues New Guide appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-04-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#guide appeared
#de gruyter
#university students
A Universe Explodes is an unusual ebook in a variety of ways. Best viewed on a mobile device, it's about 20 pages long and has 128 words per page. Only 100 people "own" the original version, though the book itself is free and can be read by anyone a... Continue reading at Engadget
[ Engadget | 2017-04-15 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#universe explodes
#mobile device
#original version
Princess Deena Aljuhani Abdulaziz was at the helm of Vogue Arabia for two published print editions. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2017-04-14 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#fashion media
Francis Spufford's much-lauded Golden Hill (Faber) has gained yet another prize nod, this time on the six-strong shortlist for the Authors’ Club Best First Novel Award 2017 (£2,500). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-04-13 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with:
#francis spufford
#six-strong shortlist
#prize nod