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Authors Rachel Kushner, Hari Kunzru, and Rivka Galchen speak with poet and Bomb Magazine senior editor Mónica de la Torre about their writing and the state of the literary world at New York City's Strand Book Store.
Write a story in which a minor incident occurs—the main character is bitten by a cat, loses her keys, gets a flat tire, accidently breaks something—that symbolizes something larger. Use the incident and how the character deals with it to both move the plot forward and explore a larger significance.
May is Short Story Month, and in this video from Open Road Media, acclaimed short story writers such as James Jones, Susan Minot, Peter Cameron, David Corbett, Nicola Barker, Bradford Morrow, and Robert McCammon discuss the joys and challenges of the short form.
Character calls forth writer. Writer calls forth reader. It seems straightforward—but is it? Novelist, filmmaker, and Zen Buddhist priest Ruth Ozeki explores the relationships embedded in every novel and work of fiction.
Last week, the first annual Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction was awarded to Don DeLillo, the author of sixteen novels, including White Noise (Viking, 1985), Libra (Viking, 1988), and Underworld (Scribner, 1997) and, most recently, the short story collection The Angel Esmeralda (Scribner, 2011).
DeLillo, 76, was nominated by a panel of prize-winning authors and literary critics, and will receive the award at the Library of Congress National Book Festival in September. Among a lifetime of literary accolades, DeLillo has twice been nominated for a Pulitzer Prize—for Mao II (Viking, 1991) and Underworld—received a National Book Award and a National Book Critics Circle Award for White Noise, and was a finalist for last year’s Story Prize. In addition to his full-length works, DeLillo has also penned a number of plays, screenplays, short stories, and essays.
“Like Dostoyevsky, Don DeLillo probes deeply into the sociopolitical and moral life of his country,” Librarian of Congress James H. Billington said in the April 25 announcement. “Over a long and important career, he has inspired his readers with the diversity of his themes and the virtuosity of his prose.”
In a statement, DeLillo—a first generation Italian American born and raised in the Bronx—said, “When I received news of this award, my first thoughts were of my mother and father, who came to this country the hard way, as young people confronting a new language and culture. In a significant sense, the Library of Congress Prize is the culmination of their efforts and a tribute to their memory.”
The new prize is inspired by the Creative Achievement Award for fiction, previously given by the Library to Herman Wouk in 2008, John Grisham in 2009, Isabel Allende in 2010, Toni Morrison in 2011, and Philip Roth in 2012. The Prize for American Fiction will, according to the announcement, be given annually "to honor an American writer whose body of work is distinguished not only for its mastery of the art but for its originality of thought and imagination. The award seeks to commend strong, unique, enduring voices that—throughout long, consistently accomplished careers—have told us something about the American experience.”
DeLillo, who often admits that his long career took some time to get started, is currently at work on a novel.
The New Yorker staff writer Hilton Als spoke with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Junot Díaz about work and inspiration at an event earlier this month at the Strand Book Store in New York City.
A frequent contributor to Poets & Writers Magazine (check out his urgent essay in the current issue), Benjamin Percy has a new book coming out. A werewolf novel for the literary set, Red Moon is forthcoming in May from Grand Central Publishing. Be afraid. Be very afraid.
Founded in 1894, Vroman’s is an independent family-run bookstore, a literary landmark, and a community center. The bookstore hosts over four hundred events a year, including author signings, launch parties, children’s storytimes, craft classes, and trivia nights. With a strong history of philanthropy, Vroman’s has supported many institutions and charitable causes and the Vroman’s Gives Back program donates a portion of purchases to a local organization of a customer’s choice.
Founded in 1967, this independent bookstore provides new and used books of all genres. Green Apple often hosts local authors for readings and book signings. The main bookstore features two floors of new and used nonfiction, new releases, children’s books, cookbooks, and has book buyback hours everyday. A Fiction & Music Annex featuring new and used fiction, music, movies, graphics novels, science fiction, mystery, and more is located down the street at 520 Clement Street.
Founded in 1935, Penguin Books revolutionized marketing and publishing by producing inexpensive softcovers with an instantly recognizable design. Richard from AbeBooks.com gives viewers a color-coded survey of the iconic series of books.
