Daniel Mason’s North Woods follows one house in the woods of New England as it passes through families (with inhabitants both human and not) and endures natural and human history. Mason joins us to talk about how he connected with his setting, writing a novel covering a large timespan, playing with form and more. The […]
Most of the time, reading a novel is pretty straightforward. Step one: pick up book. Step two: open book. Step three: read, and enjoy. Some novels, though, go beyond mere complexity and actually require you to be knowledgable in a certain area just to have hope of enjoying—or understanding—what’s on the page. These five books are perfect examples: if you’re […]
Dear Literary Lady, What are some books that are guaranteed to impress people who see me reading them? I have a lot of people to impress this holiday season … –T.S., Evanston, IL. Dear T.S., I got your back. What? You thought I was going to get all preachy about how reading is a poignant, […]
Life’s not getting any easier—and neither are these books. While there’s nothing wrong with reading a brisk spy novel or a weepy romance or a horror novel you have to put in your freezer at night in order to be able to sleep, you know you’ve been avoiding certain novels your whole life. Time to […]
Epigraphs are pretty versatile little literary devices. They can be the uncensored mouthpiece of an author. They are, at times, like an outside source brought in to demonstrate the author’s authority on a subject (ahem…Moby Dick). They can provide insight into the author’s inspiration, as in the case of the newspaper article quoted in Cormac McCarthy’s Blood Meridian. They can be playful; a witty one-liner that encapsulate an […]