What Is Autobiography? A Conversation with Debut Memoirist Victoria Chang, by Amy Wright

Interviews Victoria Chang’s new collection, Dear Memory, expands the field of the memoir for readers to explore a full-color archive of family photos and historical documents collaged between lines of poetry and letters. It prompts us to ask, with her, What composes a life and what makes of life art? What makes of memory history, and whose history, and how do we survive loss? We might expect the author of five books of poetry and two children’s books to incorporate the lyric in her first book of nonfiction, but Chang goes further. If her memories arrive at times as poetry, she denies them the protection of a poem. For instance, at the end of a letter that begins, “Do you remember those Fridays in gym class . . . ,” she realizes that memory may be “the exit wound of joy.” Such insights pierce us before we can register surprise. Elsewhere, she covers her mother’s mouth with three Mandarin characters in the photo on her certificate of naturalization, inserting her reservation into the official record along with her daughter’s grief. I reached out to Chang, moved by this book’s innovative form. “It was always my goal as a writer to be able to make whatever I want,” she told me via Zoom video hosted by the low-residency MFA program at Antioch University, which she directs. The winner of a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Los Angeles Times Book Prize, the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award, the PEN Voelcker Award, a Sustainable Arts Foundation... Continue reading at 'World Literature Today'

[ World Literature Today | 2022-01-05 19:50:39 UTC ]
News tagged with: #human emotions #toxic masculinity #daily basis #curly hair #times book #memoir

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How AMI Cut Production Costs by 50 Percent

American Media, Inc. (AMI) and Michael Esposito, Senior Vice President of Operations and Digital Production, think they've hit upon a recipe that could work across the magazine industry for rationalizing print publishing costs and scaling up on digital platforms. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-11-03 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Foyles to close One New Change today

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 02/11/2011 - 14:06 Foyles has brought the closure of its One New Change branch forward by five months, announcing its last day of trade as today (2nd November). The mini-chain originally announced last month it would shut down in April next year... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-11-02 00:00:00 UTC ]
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PA conference to study changing international markets

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 27/10/2011 - 09:00 The Publishers Association's international conference will focus on issues such as export sales and the growth of the English language, with speakers to include Barnes and Noble vice-president of digital content Theresa... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Murakami in France, a Debut In Germany: International Bestsellers October, 2011

With Knopf set to release Haruki Murakami’s 1Q84 this week in the U.S., the latest novel from the award-winning Japanese author was an instant bestseller in Japan and debuted at #3 in France in September. Topping the French fiction chart last month was The Passenger, the most recent thriller... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-10-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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W&N pre-empts debut in six-figure deal

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 20/10/2011 - 15:13 Weidenfeld & Nicolson has acquired a debut novel in a "major" six-figure pre-empt deal, with the agent likening it to The Book Thief and The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas. W&N fiction publishing director Kirsty... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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AMI Strikes $550 Million Deal With RR Donnelley

American Media, Inc. [AMI] is executing an aggressive digital strategy with the help of RR Donnelley—AMI awarded the company a contract to assist with its digital convergence that extends until the year 2020 that is worth an estimated $550 million. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Regional Arlington Magazine Debuts

The regional magazine sector continues to expand as new publication Arlington Magazine debuts this month. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-17 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Another Editorial Shift Change For SPIN Media

SPIN Media announced three new changes to its editorial staff: Caryn Ganz as online editor-in-chief, Christopher R. Weingarten as senior editor and David Bevan as associate editor. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-10-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Foyles to close One New Change store

Written By: Lisa Campbell Publication Date: Wed, 05/10/2011 - 09:00 Foyles will close its One New Change branch when its lease expires in April 2012 to "free up resources" for its forthcoming Stratford branch and recently opened Bristol shop. The booksellers at Foyles One New Change will be... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-10-05 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Another Rodale Exec’s Exit Points to Changes at Publisher

Gregg Michaelson, the integrated marketing president and chief marketing office with Rodale, has left the company. Michaelson was with the publisher since 2001, beginning his tenure with Rodale’s book division. Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2011-09-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Transworld wins nine-way auction for debut

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 27/09/2011 - 09:20 Transworld and Random House Australia have acquired debut novel The Light Between Oceans by M L Stedman, winning a nine-way auction for the title. Doubleday editorial director Jane Lawson bought UK and Commonwealth rights... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-27 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BISG discuss WBN US and digital changes

Written By: Gayle Feldman Publication Date: Wed, 21/09/2011 - 09:16 The debut of World Book Night U.S., coinciding with the U.K.’s second go-round next April 23rd, was introduced in a keynote at the Book Industry Study Group AGM in New York. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Assange autobiography to be published tomorrow

Written By: Katie Allen Publication Date: Wed, 21/09/2011 - 12:09 Canongate is to publish the "unauthorised" memoirs of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange tomorrow (22nd September), despite his attempts to cancel the contract he signed with the publisher for his autobiography. Julian Assange:... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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BISG discusses WBN US and digital changes

Written By: Gayle Feldman Publication Date: Wed, 21/09/2011 - 09:16 The debut of World Book Night US, coinciding with the UK’s second go-round on 23rd April 2012, was introduced in a keynote at the Book Industry Study Group a.g.m. in New York. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-21 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Pan Mac pre-empts literary debut

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 20/09/2011 - 13:00 Pan Macmillan has pre-empted rights in a debut novel about a young black hairdresser called Dorrie in present-day Texas, for a five-figure sum. Editorial director for fiction Jenny Geras bought UK and Commonwealth rights... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-20 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Canadian Publishing 2011: Challenges and Changes

This year Canadian publishers face a triple challenge—tough economic conditions, the first big surge of ebook sales, and a dramatic shift in strategy at Indigo Books & Music, Canada’s largest book retailer. But, as is often said, no one goes into publishing unless he or she is an optimist,... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2011-09-16 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Penguin Ireland acquires war debut

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Mon, 12/09/2011 - 08:40 Penguin Ireland has acquired a first novel about the "mysteries and alchemies of friendship", likening it to The Reluctant Fundamentalist and the writing of W G Sebald. Senior editor Brendan Barrington bought world rights... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Picador beats seven publishers to debut

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Thu, 01/09/2011 - 15:00 Picador has won an eight-way auction for an American debut set primarily in 1950s America, snapping up the title and one other for a six-figure sum. Editorial director Kate Harvey acquired Tigers in Red Weather by Liza... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-09-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Hamish Hamilton acquires Naqvi debut

Written By: Charlotte Williams Publication Date: Tue, 30/08/2011 - 08:00 Hamish Hamilton has acquired Home Boy by H M Naqvi, winner of the inaugural DSC Prize for South Asian Literature in January this year. Publishing director Simon Prosser bought British Commonwealth rights from Margaret... Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-30 00:00:00 UTC ]
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French and Watson lead strong first half for debuts

Written By: Philip Stone and Graeme Neill Publication Date: Wed, 24/08/2011 - 08:31 Dawn French and S J Watson are the most successful debut novelists of the year so far across paperback and hardback, with debut novels generally having a more successful year than 2010. read more Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2011-08-24 00:00:00 UTC ]
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