Hiding the Body: My Susan Sontag Story, by John Weir

Essay John Weir Adapted from a photo by Jake weirick on Unsplash Like a dead pop star, Susan Sontag left behind a lot of fans who claim they knew her. After the release last September of Benjamin Moser’s new biography, Susan Sontag: Her Life and Work, they were all over the internet, sharing stories. Writers, of course. Especially queer writers. Does every queer writer who lived in New York City and published a book sometime between 1960 and 2000 have a Sontag story? I do! Here’s mine: Eighteen years ago, shortly after she won the National Book Award for her fourth novel, In America, some of which she had been accused of plagiarizing, and a few months before she published, in the New Yorker, maybe the only response to the 9/11 attacks, in their immediate aftermath, that was worth considering, she was invited, along with John Updike and Norman Mailer, to read at Queens College CUNY, where I teach creative writing. Surely the most impressive trio of literary bigwigs of a certain era ever to read together in Flushing. Three idols. I had long regarded their work with awe and envy. In my early twenties, in the 1980s, in a studio apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, hot and airless in summer, frigid in winter, I read—eagerly, jealously—everything they wrote. I was an aspiring writer, and they were my workshop instructors and problematic literary parents. Updike’s Couples taught me how to do a party scene. Mailer’s An American... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2020-01-07 22:09:56 UTC ]

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Here Are All the Award-Winning Novels of 2024!

Percival Everett nabbed the National Book Award and Samantha Harvey bagged the Booker, but they weren’t the only writers who struck gold this year. Yes, from the Pulitzer to the Nebula, the PEN/Faulkner to the Edgar, here are the winners of the biggest book prizes of 2024. Congratulations to... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-12-18 09:57:03 UTC ]
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Book Review: The Poetry of Percival Everett

The winner of this year’s National Book Award in fiction has published several collections of poems. Our critic takes a look. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-12-16 10:02:11 UTC ]
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Best 2024 Children’s Books, National Book Award Winner, & Children’s Literacy Research

'Tis the season for Best Books of the Year lists! Here are some of the picks for the best children's books of 2024, plus more kidlit news. Continue reading at Book Riot

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Writers Talking Writers: Rumaan Alam on Anita Brookner and Tommy Orange on Felisberto Hernández

The National Book Award and Pulitzer Prize nominees discuss the wry maturity and singular strangeness of two writers whose work inspired their own. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-11-22 05:00:00 UTC ]
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L.A. author Percival Everett wins National Book Award for retelling of 'Huck Finn'

USC professor Percival Everett wins the National Book Award for Fiction for 'James,' a retelling of 'Huckleberry Finn' from the character Jim's point of view. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2024-11-21 21:14:19 UTC ]
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Percival Everett, Author of ‘James,’ Wins National Book Award for Fiction

Jason De León received the nonfiction award for “Soldiers and Kings: Survival and Hope in the World of Human Smuggling.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-11-21 03:36:15 UTC ]
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Book Review: ‘Taiwan Travelogue,’ by Yang Shuang-zi

Yang Shuang-zi’s “Taiwan Travelogue,” a National Book Award finalist, is a nesting-doll narrative about colonial power in its many forms. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-11-15 13:18:52 UTC ]
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Lit Hub Daily: November 13, 2024

“My personality is more indebted to The Simpsons than any other book or movie or album or show or art thing.” Meet the 2024 National Book Award finalists while they answer some of our quick questions. | Lit Hub In Conversation Mirza Waheed explains why he’s boycotting a screening of a film... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-11-13 11:30:55 UTC ]
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Meet the 2024 National Book Award Finalists

The winners of the 75th National Book Awards—given every year in Young People’s Literature, Translation, Poetry, Nonfiction, and Fiction—will be announced next week in a ceremony hosted by Kate McKinnon at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City. Ahead of the festivities, Literary Hub caught up... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-11-13 09:57:44 UTC ]
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Cherie Dimaline Wins NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature

Cherie Dimaline Wins NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature News and Events [email protected] Tue, 10/22/2024 - 17:01 World Literature Today, the University of Oklahoma’s award-winning magazine of international literature and... Continue reading at World Literature Today

[ World Literature Today | 2024-10-22 22:01:04 UTC ]
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The Biggest Book News of the Week

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[ Book Riot | 2024-10-05 15:49:26 UTC ]
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Salman Rushdie and Miranda July among National Book award finalists

This year’s contenders for the main prizes also include Percival Everett, Hisham Matar and Kaveh AkbarSalman Rushdie, Miranda July and Percival Everett are among this year’s finalists for the National Book awards.Rushdie, who is receiving his first nomination, is competing in the non-fiction... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2024-10-01 14:15:10 UTC ]
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2024 National Book Award Finalists Are Named

Percival Everett’s “James,” Salman Rushdie’s “Knife” and Diane Seuss’ “Modern Poetry” are among the honorees. Winners will be announced next month. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2024-10-01 14:00:07 UTC ]
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2024 National Book Award Shortlists Announced

The National Book Foundation has announced the 2024 National Book Award shortlists. The winners in each of the five categories will be announced at an awards ceremony on November 20. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2024-10-01 04:00:00 UTC ]
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US National Book Award 2024 Longlists: Poetry

The 75th National Book Awards’ longlist in poetry is drawn from an initial pool of 299 books submitted by publishers for consideration. The post US National Book Award 2024 Longlists: Poetry appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-09-28 00:27:33 UTC ]
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The Week in Book News

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The Fiction Longlist for the 2024 National Book Awards

The National Book Award Longlist for Fiction, Author Trading Cards, more Osman on screen is coming, and more in today's book news. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2024-09-13 21:36:00 UTC ]
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US National Book Award 2024 Longlists: Fiction

The 75th National Book Awards' longlist in fiction is drawn from an initial pool of 473 books submitted by publishers for consideration. The post US National Book Award 2024 Longlists: Fiction appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2024-09-13 14:03:51 UTC ]
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Here’s the longlist for the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction.

Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2024 National Book Award for Fiction. The ten titles were selected from a pool of 473 books submitted for consideration by their publishers. This year’s judges for Fiction are Jamie Ford, Lauren Groff (Chair), Zeyn Joukhadar,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-09-13 14:00:29 UTC ]
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Here’s the longlist for the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction.

Today, the National Book Foundation announced the longlist for the 2024 National Book Award for Nonfiction. The ten titles were selected from a pool of 671 books submitted for consideration by their publishers. This year’s judges for Nonfiction are Brenda J. Child, Anand Giridharadas, Tressie... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2024-09-12 19:00:18 UTC ]
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