Jhumpa Lahiri | Jhumpa Lahiri

Aug.03.2012 The Jane Austen Reward For years I've faked reading Austen's work. Even after my beloved Henry (James) wrote about his love for Austen I couldn't make myself crack her books. I already was coerced into watching the BBC productions of Pride & Prejudice and Sense & Sensibility more than I wanted. ...	Jun.08.2012 The Political Author Aditya Chakrabortty's title "Why are English and American Novels Today So Gutless?" provoked me.[i] I have been turning further and further away from contemporary American offerings for literature that matters. I read his article expecting an insight or solution to a contemporary...
Apr.01.2012 Agent Day Thirty Five: Poetry Most of my publications are in poetry journals, even though I write long fiction. Paula Gunn Allen was my first teacher and Skins and Bones : Poems 1979-1987 (1988) was the first book of poetry I ever purchased. For a long time all I read was poetry: Chrystos, Adrian C. Louis, Simon J....	Mar.24.2012 Agent Day Twenty Eight: Writers "Writers (even the only possible writers), it is universally believed, can always be replaced, which is why they are so frequently referred to in the plural." (After Henry, Joan Didion) This week I've sent off 3 pieces for publication and 4 querries. In the evening I read After Henry, a book...
Oct.21.2011 BOOK CLUBS AND THE SHORT STORY COLLECTION A few years ago, I read a post about short stories and the challenges book groups had to them. Short story collections rarely get discussed in book clubs because as Dawn explained in her above post, how do you discuss not one story but many? Last year, I took this very challenge to my college...	Feb.02.2010 Why a reading list matters Back in January 2007 my fondness for lists drove me to start a list of the books I was reading. I kept it up for nearly two years, then abandoned it. I'm picking it up again now for the first time since January 2009, rather unsure as to what purpose I thought a reading list would serve, other than...
May.13.2009 Meeks's Book “MONTHS AND SEASONS” Makes List for the Frank O'Connor Award My most recent short story collection Months and Seasons is up for the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award. It's a prize from Ireland, the most lucrative short story award around, which Jhumpa Lahiri won last year for Unaccustomed Earth. Leading names on this year's list include...