Can We Truly Be Free of Our Past? A Conversation with Wendy Chen, by Xixuan Collins Interviews [email protected] Mon, 04/29/2024 - 15:10 An epic family saga that spans over one hundred years and two countries, Wendy Chen’s powerful, lyrical debut, Their Divine Fires (Algonquin, forthcoming on May 7, 2024), is about history, love, passion, loyalty, betrayal, and our desire to be free of our past. In the novel, four generations of women survived the formidable hardship in China during the tumultuous twentieth century—the warlord melee, the Communist–Nationalist civil war, the Japanese invasion, and the Cultural Revolution—each emerging with unspeakable loss and heartache yet undampened spirit for life and the future. An intimate study of family relationships with the backdrop of a chaotic, changing world, this book provides a perspective on Chinese history rarely seen in American literature. Xixuan Collins: You capture the emotions of the four generations of Chinese and Chinese American women so vividly. You have said that you were inspired by your grandmother’s stories of her mother and uncles and the ways they fought, lived, and died for what they believed in. Can you tell us a little more about the story behind your story; that is, what was the moment when you realized you had a story to tell and you felt compelled to sit down and write this novel? Wendy Chen: My grandmother would always tell me stories of her family when I... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2024-04-29 20:10:46 UTC ]
Anticipating the Apollo 11 anniversary, a bookseller appreciates the power of a great book about space for kids. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-06-21 12:00:33 UTC ]
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The idea makes practically no sense at all. Full works of long-form literary fiction uploaded to ... Instagram? And specifically to Instagram Stories, a format known for its fast and fleeting posts about nights on the town and outfits of the day? But the New York Public Library pulled it off,... Continue reading at AdWeek
[ AdWeek | 2019-06-14 20:20:07 UTC ]
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Indie booksellers raved about both fall/winter fiction and nonfiction offerings at BookExpo, but literary fiction with plots inspired by today's news headlines is what they were most excited about. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Thursday morning's Adult Book & Author Breakfast featured Rachel Maddow, Malcolm Gladwell, Karin Slaughter, Marjorie Liu, and Ta-Nehisi Coates introducing their newest books, with presentations emphasizing the true crimes that inspired each to write. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2019-05-30 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Will Self has declared literature to be "morphing into a giant quilting exercise", suggesting that no current creative writing graduates will make a living from literary fiction. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-05-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Her Body and Other Parties, by Carmen Maria Machado I've absolutely loved this collection of short stories, which floats between the weird and the queer, passing horror, black comedy and feminism along the way. Doubles and others are especially important: a wife enters her wife’s dream when they... Continue reading at British Council global
[ British Council global | 2019-04-11 08:49:28 UTC ]
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Poor working conditions for book editors are ingrained. It’s time for that to change – no matter how much we love our jobsBook editors love their jobs, perhaps more than the average worker. We work diligently with motivated and inspiring peers on projects we are proud of. You may not realise... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2019-03-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Dorotea Bromberg co-founded Swedish book publisher Bromberg Bokförlag with her father. The company still punches far above its weight in the literary world. The post Sweden’s Dorotea Bromberg Is London Book Fair’s Lifetime Achievement Laureate 2019 appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-02-22 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Andrea Levy, writer of bestselling Windrush generation novel Small Island (Headline), has died from cancer at the age of 62, with the publishing community paying tribute to how she "reshaped the literary world". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2019-02-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Black Country by Liz Berry and 40 Rules of Love by Elif ShafakAfter a wonderful trip to Berlin for the British Council Literature Seminar at the end of January, I am reading Liz Berry’s Black Country. Liz’s reading at the Literature Seminar was one of the highlights of the weekend and I’m really... Continue reading at British Council global
[ British Council global | 2019-02-14 09:49:28 UTC ]
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TV coverage of literary fiction has dwindled, but Trevor Noah and Seth Meyers are exceptions. “Who would have guessed that a 700-page novel would be on national TV?” one publishing executive said. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2018-12-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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This year’s shortlist also includes Jesus on Gardening, Equine Dry Needling and Why Sell Tacos in Africa?A book that celebrates Germany’s timesaving contribution to global cuisine is among the contenders for the 2018 Diagram prize for the oddest title of the year. The Joy of Waterboiling may... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2018-10-26 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The chatshow host’s new novel centres on Irish lives dominated by shame and repression. Yet, after ‘decades of darkness’, the country’s legalisation of abortion and gay marriage have made him hopefulGraham Norton’s second novel, A Keeper, had not gone to press before this interview, so his... Continue reading at The Guardian
[ The Guardian | 2018-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Benedicte Page reflects on the current status of literary fiction and the role of independent publishers in the book industry. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-08-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje (Bloomsbury) has triumphed over competition from the likes of Hilary Mantel and George Saunders to be crowned the best Man Booker Prize winner of the last 50 years. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Super Thursday will fall on 4th October this year, The Bookseller can reveal, when a whopping 544 new hardbacks will be hitting shelves—40 more than on last year’s equivalent day—all vying for a slice of the lucrative Christmas book market. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-07-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders was named Audiobook of the year at the annual Audie Awards, presented by the Audio Publishers Association in the US. The post George Saunders’ ‘Lincoln in the Bardo’ Tops 2018 Audie Awards for Random House appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-06-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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George Saunders, Hilary Mantel and Michael Ondaatje are among the names to have been shortlisted for the Golden Man Booker Prize, created to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the coveted literary award. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2018-05-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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From Finland by way of Kosovo, as well as the UK, Israel, Nigeria, Sweden, Spain, and the United States, the writers of our roundup are producing thrillers, literary fiction, memoir, children's historically reflective work and, of course, children's stories. The post Bologna Rights Roundup: Nine... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-03-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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With biography, autobiography, children's literature, new Nordic noir, literary fiction, and a mystery that rides with the Tour de France, we look at several interesting sales stories and rights action the authors of which include a Syrian concert pianist. The post Rights Roundup: Eight Titles... Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives
[ Publishing Perspectives | 2018-02-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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