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 ]
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Don Winslow calls out Trump for his botched coronavirus response, and his supporters for living in denial. Continue reading at HuffPost
[ HuffPost | 2020-09-16 09:43:06 UTC ]
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It's no secret that most authors are introverts. That doesn't mean that we don't enjoy bookshop events and literary festivals. Who doesn't love talking about their books or their writing process? But afterwards, we are spent, drained of energy, and need to recharge. Writing is a solitary... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-16 01:39:18 UTC ]
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In “Breaking Bread With the Dead,” Alan Jacobs argues we should “sift the past for its wisdom and its wickedness, its perception and its foolishness.” Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-15 15:49:40 UTC ]
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With no room for Hilary Mantel’s conclusion to her Wolf Hall trilogy, the six finalists also include four debutsHilary Mantel will not win a third Booker prize with the final novel in her Thomas Cromwell trilogy, after American writers made a near clean sweep of this year’s shortlist.With four... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2020-09-15 12:21:07 UTC ]
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The story collection is a departure for the beloved writer best known for his Easy Rawlins mysteries. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-15 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Sara Pascoe, Graham Norton, Richard Osman and Babita Sharma are among the authors confirmed to be making appearances on BBC2's new book club programme "Between the Covers", hosted by Sara Cox. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-14 16:56:27 UTC ]
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Three cheers for more exciting book news! Today, the Before Columbus Foundation announced the winners of the 41st-annual American Book Awards. The award, which has no categories or nominees, was created to recognize extraordinary literary achievement from the entire spectrum of America’s diverse... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-14 16:38:41 UTC ]
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BookMachine has announced a new editorial board, with some former members stepping down to make way for change, to better reflect the diversity it hopes to see in the industry. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-14 05:55:52 UTC ]
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Octopus has paid tribute to British designer, retailer and restaurateur Sir Terence Conran, who died aged 88 over the weekend. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-14 03:25:58 UTC ]
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Where did you come from? It’s a question many people never consider, but some are curious and the best answer to that, aside from lots of time in archives, historical societies, libraries and cemeteries, is a DNA test. You have multiple options, but the leader is Ancestry.com and it is always... Continue reading at Betanews
[ Betanews | 2020-09-13 08:36:25 UTC ]
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Famed writer and activist Cory Doctorow is selling the audio version of his upcoming book via Kickstarter to sidestep the walled garden of Amazon-owned audiobook platform Audible. When science fiction writer and activist Cory Doctorow releases his new novel, Attack Surface, next month, you’ll be... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2020-09-12 09:00:52 UTC ]
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Books written by incarcerated writers raise vital questions about how we can build a more just society: Your weekly guide to the best in books Continue reading at The Atlantic
[ The Atlantic | 2020-09-11 17:15:05 UTC ]
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Jonathan M. Berman explores the history and influence of the anti-vaccination movement. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2020-09-11 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Sarah Hall has been shortlisted for the £15,000 BBC National Short Story Award for the fourth time, after winning the prize in 2013. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-11 10:46:38 UTC ]
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When One Hundred Years of Solitude hit the market in 1967, the book industry in Spanish was booming. This situation was unimaginable for most writers and critics just a few years before. “How can literature exist,” writer Mario Vargas Llosa asked, “in countries where there are no publishing... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-11 08:48:47 UTC ]
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U.K.-based literary publisher And Other Stories is expanding its footprint in the U.S., hiring former Farrar, Straus and Giroux editor Jeremy M. Davies as senior editor and searching for a U.S. director of publicity & trade marketing. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-09-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Gill Lewis returns to Barrington Stoke for a third children's book, Swan Song, which will explore issues of anxiety and depression in young people, while also looking at the topic of wildlife protection. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2020-09-10 16:35:15 UTC ]
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These YA books with trans protagonists by trans and non-binary authors range from contemporary to speculative fiction, including titles like When the Moon Was Ours by Anna-Marie McLemore. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2020-09-10 10:38:02 UTC ]
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Winslow has a blunt reminder for Trump's supporters ahead of Election Day. Continue reading at HuffPost
[ HuffPost | 2020-09-09 08:34:11 UTC ]
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A big congratulations to Viet Thanh Nguyen, who is joining the Pulitzer Prize Board as its first Asian-American and Vietnamese-American member. After an extensive nominating process, the board chooses the winners from a list of finalists in each category and may additionally give a Special Award... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2020-09-08 18:40:01 UTC ]
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