Kafka was the rage

Sample

Joyce Carol Oates

'One of America's greatest and most prolific contemporary literary figures draws on her years of experience with the craft to answer profound questions ranging in topic from inspiration, memory, and self-criticism to what makes a story good, a novel successful, and a writer an artist.A tribute to the brilliant craftsmanship of one of our most distinguished writers, providing valuable insight into her inspiration and her methodJoyce Carol Oates is widely regarded as one of America's greatest contemporary literary figures. Having written in a number of genres -- prose, poetry, personal and critical essays, as well as plays -- she is an artist ideally suited to answer essential questions about what makes a story striking, a novel come alive, a writer an artist as well as a craftsman.In The Faith of a Writer, Oates discusses the subjects most important to the narrative craft, touching on topics such as inspiration, memory, self-criticism, and "the unique power of the unconscious." On a more personal note, she speaks of childhood inspirations, offers advice to young writers, and discusses the wildly varying states of mind of a writer at work. Oates also pays homage to those she calls her "significant predecessors" and discusses the importance of reading in the life of a writer.Oates claims, "Inspiration and energy and even genius are rarely enough to make 'art': for prose fiction is also a craft, and craft must be learned, whether by accident or design." In fourteen succinct chapters, The Faith of a Writer provides valuable lessons on how language, ideas, and experience are assembled to create art.

Sample

Beverly Cleary

The New Yorker called Beverly Cleary's first volume of memoirs, A Girl From Yamhill, a warm, honest book, as interesting as any novel. Now the creator of the classic children's stories millions grew up with continues her own fascination story. Here is Beverly Cleary, from college years to the publication of her first book. It is a fascinating look at her life and a writing career that spans three generations, continuing to capture the hearts and imaginations of children of all ages throughout the world.

Sample

Gena Dagel Caponi

Paul Bowles serves as an introduction to this enigmatic figure. Caponi discusses all of Bowles's novels: The Sheltering Sky, the first American novel to articulate an existential philosophy; Let It Come Down, a further exploration of existentialism; The Spider's House, which explores the fall of the French colonial regime and the aftermath from the point of view of a Moroccan; and the thriller Up Above the World. In addition to the novels, Caponi examines Bowles's other writings - the poetry, travel essays, and stories - and also touches on his musical compositions. Accompanying her critical examination is extensive material from Caponi's illuminating interviews with Bowles. The quintessential introduction to an unusual figure in American literature, Paul Bowles will be welcomed by scholars and students of literature, and music.

Sample

Deborah Hopkinson

ngela and her family have arrived in New York City from their village in Italy to find themselves settled in a small tenement apartment on the Lower East Side. When her father is no longer able to work, Angela must leave school and work in a shirtwaist factory. Against the backdrop of the birth of the labor union movement in the early 1900s, Angela plays a part in the drama and turmoil that erupt as the workers begin to strike, protesting the terrible conditions in the sweatshops. And she records the horrors of the Triangle Factory fire and the triumphs and sorrows of the labor movement.