Mary Daniels Brown

My mother always insisted that, as soon as I was old enough to sit up, she’d find me in my crib after my nap babbling away, with a Little Golden Book on my lap. I’ve had my nose in a book ever since. I grew up in a small town, with the tiny town library literally in my backyard. As an only child in an unhappy home, I found comfort and companionship in books. As an adult I wanted to be Harry Potter, although I admit I’m more Hermione. My life has been a series of research projects. Reading has taught me that human lives are deliciously messy and that “it’s complicated” isn’t a punchline.

On Novels and Novelists

P. D. James, Ruth Rendell, Elena Ferrante, Robert Louis Stevenson, classic mysteries, Hollywood authors

PD James: in quotes A list of quotations about writing and mysteries from British mystery novelist P. D. James, who died recentlyat the age of 94. Here’s my favorite from this list: I love the idea of bringing order out of disorder, which is what the mystery is about. I like the way in which […]

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Best Books 2014

Jonathan Yardley’s favorite books This is not a “best books of the year” list: As longtime Washington Post book critic Jonathan Yardley retires this week, he lists some of the books he’s cherished most during his 33-year tenure with Book World. Some of the titles here he reviewed for The Post, and others he read

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Best Books 2014

The best biographies and memoirs of 2014  From the U. K.’s The Guardian: “ this year’s roundup of life writing.” The best poetry books of 2014 Also from the U. K.’s The Guardian Best Books 2014: Slate Staff Picks Slate’s columnists, editors, and bloggers pick their favorite books of the year. Our Favorite Books of

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Best Books 2014

The “best books of the year” lists will be coming thick and fast. I’ll try to keep up with them here. Writers pick the best books of 2014: part one It’s been a year of calls to action. Naomi Klein tackled climate change, Owen Jones got to grips with class politics, and Russell Brand preached

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bookshelves: Literature and Psychology

“I Am Lazarus,” Anna Kavan

Kavan, Anna. “I Am Lazarus” (1940) In The World Within: Fiction Illuminating Neuroses of Our Time Edited by Mary Louise Aswell Notes and Introduction by Frederic Wertham, M.D. New York: Whittlesey House, 1947 Related Posts: “The World Within”: Introduction “Silent Snow, Secret Snow,” Conrad Aiken “THE DOOR,” E.B. WHITE The story’s opening paragraph introduces an

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On Novels and Novelists

On Novels and Novelists

Stephen King: The Rolling Stone Interview According to interviewer Andy Greene, this interview in Rolling Stone is the first in-depth one Stephen King has given since a van accident nearly killed him 15 years ago. Known as the master of horror, King has long wished to be known as “a writer,” not “a horror writer.”

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Novels That Feature a Character’s Diary or Journal

In Gillian Flynn’s novel Gone Girl, Amy creates a fake diary to cast suspicion about her disappearance on her husband. Although Amy’s diary is only one piece in this novel’s central puzzle, some other works of fiction feature a diary format as their primary structure. Here are some fictional works that incorporate a character’s diary

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Phil Klay wins National Book Award for fiction

Phil Klay’s “Redeployment,” a debut collection of searching, satiric and often agonized stories by an Iraq war veteran, has won the National Book Award for fiction. Klay was chosen Wednesday night over such high-profile finalists as Marilynne Robinson’s “Lila” and Emily St. John Mandel’s “Station Eleven.” His book was the first debut release to win

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Amazon.com: Best Books of 2014

2014 Best Books of the Year: The Top 100 in Print Format via Amazon.com: Best Books of 2014. Yes, the Best Books of 2014 lists are beginning already. The link here features Everything I Never Told You: A Novel by Celeste Ng as top book of the year. If you click around this page a

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