I fell in love with Donna Tartt’s writing when I read The Goldfinch. For some reason, it took me a year or so to get to The Secret History, her first book. The book she wrote between the two, The Little Friend, is next on my list. She writes the kind of books I dream of — Read More
Category: Spotlight On
Spotlight on: M.L. Stedman
If you haven’t read The Light Between Oceans yet, I highly recommend adding it to your Amazon cart. It came out in 2012, so I’m a bit late to this particular party. Shameful confession: I’m never that excited to read historical fiction. I tend to think the characters are going to talk in their old-timey way — Read More
Spotlight on: Maile Meloy
If you don’t know Maile Meloy yet, you’re missing out. For whatever reason, I didn’t discover her writing until last year. I’ve now read 3 of her works: Liars and Saints (novel), Half in Love (short story collection), and Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It (short story collection). There is something so — Read More
Spotlight on: Maggie O’Farrell
Maggie O’Farrell is the kind of writer I aspire to be. Her prose is poetic, but accessible. Her characters are complex (and the relationships between them are simply beautiful). Her stories read quickly, with an air of suspense. They are dramas, with hints of humor. I read my first Maggie O’Farrell book last year–The Hand — Read More
Spotlight on: Jeffrey Eugenides
Jeffrey Eugenides is one of those writers who leaves my jaw on the floor every time. I consider him so far out of my league that envy isn’t even in the cards; just admiration and awe. Eugenides is a literary writer who is also popular–in other words, a rarity. He wrote The Virgin Suicides in 1993 (which — Read More
Spotlight on: Tom Perrotta
I haven’t met a Tom Perrotta book I didn’t like, and I’ve read a lot of them–Bad Haircut (short stories), The Wishbones, Joe College, Little Children, The Abstinence Teacher, The Leftovers. I still need to read Election. Perrotta is not-so-arguably one of the best contemporary authors today. Two of his books (Little Children and Election) — Read More
Spotlight on: Liane Moriarty
I’ve decided to do a little “Spotlight On” post about authors I really love and admire. I’ll scour the Internet for interviews they’ve done and essays they’ve written to gather up some interesting tidbits about their lives and writing process. Sound fun? I think so. First up: Liane Moriarty. I fell in love with Moriarty — Read More