Book Reviews John K. Cox Jurij Koch / Courtesy of Domowina-Verlag In the 1950s, a girl whom Jurij Koch knew in high school moved away from their hometown of Cottbus in East Germany. It was a case, he says in his recent memoir, of “Weg von Ulbricht, hin zu Adenauer” (Away from Ulbricht, over to Adenauer). Her mother took the girl to the West, before the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961. This is a familiar enough arc of events, but, as it turns out, the motivation behind the move is probably not something that most people outside of Germany would have considered. The reason was ethnic. Little Greta was growing up surrounded by Sorbs in the southeastern part of the country. The Sorbian language reminded her mother of Polish, and she had had quite enough of the Poles in her pre-1945 home farther east. In addition, Greta’s family was Protestant and they felt awash in a “Catholic sea.” So off they went, leaving the author of this autobiography—who, well, yes, had a crush on Greta—scratching his head. Like so many other scenes in this engaging book, this story blends the customary with the unexpected to stretch our understanding of what is “German.” Like so many other scenes in this engaging book, Koch’s memoir blends the customary with the unexpected to stretch our understanding of what is “German.” Windrad auf dem Dach (Domowina-Verlag, 2016) is the second volume of Koch’s memoirs to be published in German. Currently in his... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'
[ World Literature Today | 2020-01-27 20:47:13 UTC ]
Chicago’s memoir, “The Flowering,” looks back at the uphill battle to make it in the art world as a woman. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-07-15 12:00:00 UTC ]
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In 'A Farewell to Gabo and Mercedes,' filmmaker Rodrigo Garcia writes about losing both parents — and the one event his renowned father couldn't record: his own death. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-07-07 16:19:08 UTC ]
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Essay Photos by Mai Al-Nakib / Courtesy of the author Civilizations, empires, dynasties, and monarchies end, leaving behind ruins of their fabled splendor. Traces of achievements become more or less decipherable, contingent upon the mercy of... Continue reading at World Literature Today
[ World Literature Today | 2021-07-07 12:48:10 UTC ]
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“Fox & I” is Catherine Raven’s memoir of her relationship with a bushy-tailed creature — no, not a dog. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-07-06 09:00:01 UTC ]
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Months before Andrea Constand’s memoir about the Cosby case and its aftermath was set to be published, a Pennsylvania Court overturned his conviction for assaulting her and released him. Continue reading at The New York Times
[ The New York Times | 2021-07-02 13:52:59 UTC ]
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On Tuesday, Donald Rumsfeld—who, as defense secretary under George W. Bush, was a driving force behind the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq—died. Major outlets wheeled out pre-written obituaries. The AP’s, by Robert Burns, bordered on hagiography. Its headline initially declared Rumsfeld “a cunning... Continue reading at Columbia Journalism Review
[ Columbia Journalism Review | 2021-07-02 12:32:38 UTC ]
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When Trump’s former national security adviser was told his proposed title had a sexual connotation, he reportedly told publishers their minds were "in the gutter." Continue reading at The Huffington Post
[ The Huffington Post | 2021-06-30 08:23:11 UTC ]
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Learn about queer topics and history from a graphic history, a collection of letters, a memoir and more LGBTQ nonfiction books for Pride. Continue reading at Book Riot
[ Book Riot | 2021-06-29 10:38:00 UTC ]
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Coronet has waltzed off with I Don’t Take Requests by DJ Fat Tony in a “significant” pre-empt. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-25 01:16:26 UTC ]
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I first came to poet Rajiv Mohabir’s work through his cutting meditation on why he will never celebrate Indian Arrival Day, which Guyana celebrates on May 5th to commemorate the arrival of indentured Indian workers in the Caribbean. In the essay for the Asian American Writers Workshop’s The... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2021-06-22 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Will Smith has revealed the cover of his memoir Will, published by Century this November, at a community block party in Miami. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-21 12:22:28 UTC ]
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“Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir” finds the Nigerian-Tamil author considering their identity. Continue reading at The Washington Post
[ The Washington Post | 2021-06-21 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Will Smith will publish "Will," a memoir co-written by Mark Manson, in November through Penguin Press. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-06-21 00:57:25 UTC ]
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Award-winning screenwriter Abi Morgan’s memoir, which follows family life after her partner's sudden illness, has gone to John Murray for “a strong six-figures". Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-20 19:48:18 UTC ]
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Teresa Lim’s multi-generational memoir about a long-buried family tragedy set against the Second World War in Singapore has gone to Penguin Michael Joseph. Continue reading at The Bookseller
[ The Bookseller | 2021-06-19 12:40:25 UTC ]
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In our series “Can Writing Be Taught?” we partner with Catapult to ask their course instructors all our burning questions about the process of teaching writing. This month we’re featuring Cinelle Barnes, author of Monsoon Mansion: A Memoir and Malaya: Essays on Freedom. Barnes is a regular... Continue reading at Electric Literature
[ Electric Literature | 2021-06-17 11:00:00 UTC ]
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The Department of Justice has dropped its legal claims against former President Trump's one-time national security adviser over his bestselling memoir 'The Room Where It Happened.' Continue reading at Publishers Weekly
[ Publishers Weekly | 2021-06-17 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Annette Gordon-Reed’s “On Juneteenth” combines history, analysis, and memoir to explore the significance of the holiday and its Texas roots. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2021-06-16 22:19:05 UTC ]
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Former Eight Tray Gangster Crip member's memoir brought attention to the sobering truth of gang life in South L.A. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times
[ Los Angeles Times | 2021-06-15 23:57:16 UTC ]
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Gavin Larsen’s ballet memoir “Being a Ballerina” opens up the dance world to show the determination, camaraderie, and physical strength at its core. Continue reading at The Christian Science Monitor
[ The Christian Science Monitor | 2021-06-15 15:51:37 UTC ]
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