Interviews Renee H. Shea Monique Truong / Photo © Haruka Sakaguchi Monique Truong, who came to the United States in 1975 as a refugee from Vietnam, began exploring untold and ignored histories in her first novel, The Book of Salt (2003), told through the voice of Binh, the cook of Gertrude Stein and Alice B. Toklas in Paris. Her autobiographical second novel, Bitter in the Mouth (2010) is a coming-of-age story set in North Carolina. In her most recent novel, The Sweetest Fruits (Viking, 2019), Truong tells the story of Lafcadio Hearn from the perspective of three women: his mother, Rosa; his first wife, Alethea; and his Japanese wife, Setsu. Shea: At its core, The Sweetest Fruits is a story about storytelling—and it’s Russian dolls of narrative! It’s not only that three different women have their say about Hearn and their relationship with him, but each is telling her story to a specific audience—so issues of mediation and agency add further complications, as do oral vs. written stories and translation. How did you arrive at this approach instead of just telling the story in the voice of one person, then the next, then the next? Truong: This question is a Russian doll of inquiries! You’re absolutely right that the novel is interested in the different ways that stories are transmitted to us: oral vs. written, in our mother tongue vs. in translation, private story vs. public history, women’s voices vs. men’s, face-to-face vs.... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2019-09-17 13:54:26 UTC ]
A deliciously original study of the cheap editions of Pride and Prejudice and other novels – ignored by literary scholars – casts new light on her readershipJane Austen aficionados think that they know the story of their favourite author’s posthumous dis-appearance and then re-emergence. For... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2019-12-11 07:30:31 UTC ]
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Next time you or the kids are looking for an informative nonfiction or historical fiction read, pick up one of these comics about history and culture. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-12-10 11:42:18 UTC ]
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Quercus imprint riverrun has acquired a new historical fiction novel by German-Austrian writer Daniel Kehlmann,Tyll, in a translation by Ross Benjamin. The book, which has already sold 600,000 copies in Germany according to Quercus, will be published in hardback 6th Feburary 2020. UK and... Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-12-09 22:15:28 UTC ]
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“My Brilliant Friend” and Elena Ferrante’s other best-selling books are inspiring female novelists and shaking up the country’s male-dominated literary establishment. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2019-12-09 10:00:14 UTC ]
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Quercus has acquired The Deception of Harriet Fleet, a historical fiction debut set in the landscape of County Durham, described as a "recasting of Jane Eyre" that is "chilling, dark and brimming with suspense". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-28 07:05:41 UTC ]
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It was a rainy, snuggly night in November 2018, perfect for making mushroom barley soup or stuffed cabbage. I was walking home from the train when I saw it, inexplicably abandoned at the Little Free Library on my block. There, lying on its side as if after a long day of work, was that... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2019-11-27 12:00:00 UTC ]
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The foodie in your life—and their kitchen—will thank you. Eight-year-old unicorn Sweetgreen‘s fast-casual farm-to-table salad empire is growing rapidly, thanks to a commitment to delicious, locally sourced ingredients and simple, quick ordering. The chain, which serves seasonal bowls with... Continue reading at Fast Company
[ Fast Company | 2019-11-20 07:00:08 UTC ]
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It’s rare for novelists to make the leap to becoming filmmakers, but Dennis Cooper has not only made the transition, his latest movie Permanent Green Light is one of the year’s best. It reworks his longtime themes of young people, intimacy, and violence to create an affecting story of... Continue reading at Literrary Hub
[ Literrary Hub | 2019-11-18 09:47:50 UTC ]
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It’s a confusing thing, being Irish. We’re European with none of the sophistication, and for a tiny island, we have an impressive lack of consistency. That said, we also have an impressive literary output. Our politics, social movements, and religions have born enough conflict to make a canon... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2019-11-15 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Look forward to a trip around the world, and back in time, while learning the history of far flung places with these 2020 global historical fiction reads. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-11-14 11:32:10 UTC ]
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Musician Jessie Ware has written a cookbook for Ebury with her mother Lennie Ware, Table Manners, based on their successful podcast of the same name. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-12 20:41:41 UTC ]
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Get to know the facts and the legend surrounding Sisi, Empress of Austria, through these historical fiction and nonfiction books. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-11-12 11:40:14 UTC ]
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The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction is celebrating its 10th anniversary with a poll to find the nation’s favourite historical novel. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-08 03:53:44 UTC ]
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Chrissy Teigen is a woman of many talents: She started her career as a model, and has since added the titles of cookbook author, entrepreneur, social media maven (and unofficial Queen of Twitter) and more to her resume. It's those accomplishments and accolades that earned her the additional... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2019-11-06 02:59:59 UTC ]
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Cookbook stands make the perfect gift and we've got the 12 best cookbook stands for readers and cooks who want to scan through books and recipes hands-free. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-11-01 10:36:18 UTC ]
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Ree Drummond has the #1 book in the country with ‘The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The New Frontier,’ one of three high-profile cookbook releases. Plus Brent Weeks closes out his epic fantasy series Lightbringer, and Instagram-popular artist Charlie Mackesy publishes his first fable. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-11-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Day two of the Folio: Show opened with another panel of industry veterans sharing insights on leveraging content for revenue, moderated by Christa Carone, president of Group Nine Media. Eric Schurenberg, CEO of Mansueto Ventures, the parent company of Inc. and Fast Company, shared intel on how... Continue reading at Folio Magazine
[ Folio Magazine | 2019-10-31 21:34:33 UTC ]
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Lifestyle entertainment company Kin unveiled a slate of five shows for video destination Facebook Watch. The partnership is part of the social network's efforts to pair publishers with creators and public figures. The first five shows are currently in production: Tia Mowry's Quick Fix Presents... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2019-10-30 18:10:00 UTC ]
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Headline Home has bagged the "stunning" debut cookbook from 2019 Masterchef champion Irini Tzortzoglou. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-30 16:50:55 UTC ]
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Looking for your next favorite book? Check out these new historical fiction books, full of beautiful prose, dynamic characters, and captivating settings. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2019-10-25 10:39:52 UTC ]
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