Sometimes it’s best for an author to introduce his or her own story; sometimes it isn’t. Is it better to have a dispassionate eye trained on the story to unearth hidden meanings and perspectives, or is it the author who knows the tale best? Here is Edith Wharton’s own introduction to Ethan Frome, her 1911 classic short novel.
A reviewer from the time when the book was published observed of its spare language and brevity: ” It is so short, a long short story, and not one word can be skipped in the reading. It is such a complete and perfect piece of work that the reviewer can only say — read it.”
In her introduction, has Edith Wharton enlightened her readers, or complicated the haunting tale? An argument can be made for either side. Read More→
Sarah Orne Jewett (1849 – 1909) grew up in South Berwick, Maine, where many of her stories are set. She was first published in The Atlantic at age nineteen and gained appreciation for her place and character driven narratives.
Her most enduring works include The Country of Pointed Firs, an 1896 collection of loosely linked fictional vignettes, and the 1884 novel A Country Doctor. The fictionalized settings and characters are drawn from Jewett’s life and experiences in southern Maine.
Jewett was praised for featuring independent women and focusing on their personal lives and passions. She was a mentor to Willa Cather, who respected the wisdom she shared about writing. Here is a sampling of wise quotes by Sarah Orne Jewett from her novels and other sources. Read More→
Maud Hart Lovelace (1892-1980) sold her first story to the New York Times at age eighteen. She dropped out of college to travel to Europe to write, honing her skills that would ultimately culminate in creating the Betsy-Tacy series of books.
Born and raised in Mankato, Minnesota, Maud enjoyed a happy childhood filled with friends, culture, and a loving family. Imaginative and creative, she began writing stories and poems at an early age.
Generations of readers have loved her books for their simple, old-fashioned charm. Here are some quotes from a selection of her beloved Betsy novels.
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The Moffats is a children’s novel by Eleanor Estes, the first of a series of four books about a fictional family. The four Moffat children — Sylvie, Joey, Janey and Rufus — live with their widowed mother in Cranbury, a small town in Connecticut.
Though the novel was published in 1941, the story begins in the World War I era. It’s notable for focusing on a family headed by a single, working-class, working mother. Mama, as she is called, is a dressmaker.
Rather than being plot-driven, the book is episodic, with each chapter containing a more or less self-contained adventure of the Moffat children. Read More→
Katherine Mansfield (1888 – 1923) was a New Zealand-born writer recognized for revolutionizing the modern English short story. Though she had many challenges in her short life, her grit and courage comes through in this selection of quotes by Katherine Mansfield.
In 1908, firmly ensconced in the bohemian life in London, she began writing short stories. Her first collection was published in 1911 and reflected a certain disillusionment with her native country. Titled In a German Pension, it received favorable reviews and was praised for “acute insight” and “unquenchable humour.”
She was diagnosed with tuberculosis in 1917 but continued to write on a daily basis until she could no longer do so by 1922. Though she had many challenges in her short life, her grit and courage comes through her words.
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This musing on the literary friendship of British author George Eliot and her American contemporary Harriet Beecher Stowe is contributed by Emily Midorikawa, author of A Secret Sisterhood:The Hidden Friendships of Austen, Brontë, Eliot and Woolf.
Even before she found literary fame, Mary Ann Evans (1819 – 1880), better known by the pen name George Eliot, was firmly entrenched in a London social circle that was unconventional, intellectual, and predominantly male.
There was also the matter of her “living in sin” with critic and philosopher George Henry Lewes – a state that kept many “respectable ladies” away from her door. Read More→
Carson McCullers (1917 – 1967; born Lula Carson Smith) is known for her incisive novels, especially her first,The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. Published in 1940 when she was only 23, McCullers instantly became the toast of the literary scene.
McCiullers wrote in other genres as well, including plays, short stories, children’s poetry, and other works. Most of her work is set in the American South and involves people struggling with loneliness and isolation.
Many critics place her among the best southern writers, along with William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, and Tennessee Williams. Read More→
Show Boat by Edna Ferber is a 1926 novel telling the story of three generations of performers on a floating theater, the Cotton Blossom.
As the titled show boat travels down the Mississippi River from the 1880s to the 1920s, readers get a glimpse of a forgotten form of American entertainment.
In that era, floating theaters stopped in river towns that normally didn’t have access to high quality performances because of their distance and isolation from major urban centers. Edna Ferber captured the spirit of this way of life with her skillful storytelling and captivating characters. Read More→
