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 “dazzling” six-book shortlist has been announced for the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-04-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
For nearly 20 years, Namwali Serpell has been writing “The Old Drift.” If you don’t find that fact alone to be staggering, consider this: The 576-page book blends English with a multitude of Bantu languages spoken in Zambia. Incorporating elements of historical fiction, sci-fi, magical realism,... Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2019-03-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction has unveiled its longlist, as the chair of the judges warns choosing a shortlist “from these corkers is going to be a tough task”. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-03-07 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In Germany, Turning Point, the finale of Carmen Korn’s Century Trilogy, a historical series about four women in the 20th century, topped the fiction bestseller list in September, and prolific mystery novelist Charlotte Link was in second with The Search, about a missing teen. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-10-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
In her first work of historical fiction, bestselling author Patti Callahan explores the life and love of Joy Davidman, the wife of C.S. Lewis. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Bloomsbury has snapped up an "exquisite" novel and a short story collection about flawed masculinity from Benjamin Myers six weeks after he scooped the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction for his book published by Bluemoose Books. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Benjamin Myers has won the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction with The Gallows Pole, published by small Yorkshire-based independent press Bluemoose Books. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-06-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Jennifer Egan, Benjamin Myers and Paul Lynch are among the authors shortlisted for the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-04-18 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The late writer Helen Dunmore, US novelist Jennifer Egan and 29-year-old writer Natasha Pulley are all vying for the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, with entries up 40% from last year. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-03-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Irish writer Sebastian Barry has won the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction for a second time for his American epic Days Without End (Faber). Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-06-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Dame Hilary Mantel is to give a series of lectures around the UK which will be broadcast by BBC Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-05-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Rebecca Gablé, the bestselling author of historical fiction, returned to Germany’s fiction bestseller list in April at #1 with "The Foreign Queen," the second in her new Otto the Great Series. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2017-05-19 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Faber has three books shortlisted for the £25,000 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2017-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Tinte & Feder is Amazon Publishing's second German-language imprint, and is to focus on contemporary and historical fiction. First titles out March 7. The post Amazon Publishing’s Newest Imprint Makes Its Debut in Germany appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2017-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
The organisers of the Walter Scott Prize for historical fiction has launched an academy to help find future winners. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-12-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Love to read historical fiction? Take our quiz and find out how well you really know the genre. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2016-11-04 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Despite the fact that he says, 'I don't consider myself a historical novelist at all,' Simon Mawer wins the £30,000 pound Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. The post With Its ‘Heart in Scotland,’ the Walter Scott Prize Honors Simon Mawer appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-06-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Thomas Mullen has been playing with genres for a long time. He has mixed historical fiction with magical realism, played with the spy novel, and is now mixing a police procedural with a fact-based piece of historical fiction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-05-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Kelly Kerney, who spent a decade writing the historical novel "Hard Red Spring," talks about the impossible task of historical fiction. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2016-03-25 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this
Titles by William Boyd and Patrick Gale have been named on the 2016 Walter Scott Prize shortlist in an “exceptional year” for historical fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2016-03-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this