Today is the first day of the annual #30Authors event! I'm thrilled to be sharing Kristopher Jansma's review of Prodigals and and Wagner in the Desert by Greg Jackson. His piece is both stunning and relevant to the world we live in today and I sincerely hope you take the time to slowly devour every single word. If you're new to Kristopher Jansma, know that he is the author … [Read more...]
Sixteen Writers On Not Having Kids
It is a truth universally acknowledged that not wanting kids makes you a horrible person. Okay, that's not exactly how the line goes and not wanting kids certainly doesn't mean there's something wrong with you, but society does have a tendency to stigmatize those, especially women, who don't want to push out a child and raise it for decades to come. This stigma is ludicrous, of … [Read more...]
This is the Story of a Happy Marriage
I've been an Ann Patchett fan for years. I loved State of Wonder and adored The Patron Saint of Liars, so when I was given the opportunity to read about Ann Patchett by Ann Patchett, I jumped. And boy, am I glad I did! Confession: I had no idea she started out writing magazine articles. I consider myself to be pretty up-to-snuff when it comes to the writing histories … [Read more...]
“Belle Fontaine” is Bittersweet
The House at Belle Fontaine is a book of short stories by Lily Tuck, who, unbeknownst to me, has an incredible reputation as a great writer. As part of my 50 Bookish Things to do Before You Die list, I want to read more essay/short story collections, which is why I requested this one. The short stories in this book are melancholic, weaving tales of lost loves, dreams, and … [Read more...]
‘The Friend’ Found Its Way With These Essays
The Friend Who Got Away: Twenty Women's True Life Tales of Friendships that Blew Up, Burned Out or Faded Away by Jenny Offill and Elissa Schappell (author of Blueprints for Building Better Girls, which is on my Kindle) is a book of essays written by women who lost a female friendship. Some were by choice, others by mistake, and a few for no reason at all. As a woman who is … [Read more...]