Probably all of us have felt it at one point or another. For some, it comes in the form of an obsession with story—the drive to know what happens next, to revel in character and incident and situation, to follow a plot as it arcs and swoops and blossoms (or crashes and implodes). For some […]
Probably all of us have felt it at one point or another. For some, it comes in the form of an obsession with story—the drive to know what happens next, to revel in character and incident and situation, to follow a plot as it arcs and swoops and blossoms (or crashes and implodes). For some […]
“I knew I was way over my head,” said Beth Macy. As a feature writer for a regional newspaper attempting to write a nonfiction book about the global economy, she had her work cut out for her. Macy did it though, and her first book, Factory Man, was published in July 2014, making The New York […]
When Harper Lee’s surprise second book, Go Set a Watchman, was announced earlier this year, lots of questions popped up. Was the release of the book in line with the aging author’s wishes? Should it be released at all, given that some felt Lee was unfit to give her consent? And would the book be […]
Author Edwidge Danticat weaves stories of strong women overcoming hardship and forging new identities in unfamiliar places. Born in Haiti, Danticat moved to Brooklyn when she was 12 years old, and the experience of transporting from one culture to another has since informed her writing, which is dominated by characters that have their feet in […]
It’s a new year but many of us are still catching up on the 2014 books littering critic’s lists. There are plenty to choose from, with dozens of new titles published each week of the year. Two weeks into 2015, though, there are already contenders for the best of 2015 lining shelves and vying for […]
Longtime local reviewer Barbara Rich did not mince words, even in death. “She did not ‘pass,’ she died,” reads her obituary, which did not note how old she was. Rich, who died December 8, wrote for most publications in town, and in the 1990s was a theater critic for C-VILLE Weekly. Her most notable review […]
Pulitzer Prize-winning book reviewer Jonathan Yardley bowed out this week after 33 years as a critic with The Washington Post. On his list of 30 favorite books, he included local author Henry Wiencek’s The Hairstons. Published in 2000, the nonfiction account of a Virginia family’s white and black sides “is a milestone in the history […]
Though UVA has had more than its fair share of renowned professors over the years, the name Charles Smith may not ring any bells. Raised in Augusta County and trained at the Corcoran School of Art, Smith was an acclaimed printmaker known for intricately carved block prints as well as his innovative “block painting” technique […]
To celebrate the first birthday of her online literary journal Full Grown People on October 4, editor Jennifer Niesslein published a book. “Full Grown People: The Greatest Hits, Volume 1 gives you a good idea of our breadth,” she said. “It covers a lot, from parenting issues, when you’re looking at maybe your kids leaving […]
Jedi warriors, dust off your lightsabers, and don your robes, for the annual Star Wars Reads Day is coming. It’s time once again to travel to a galaxy far, far away for an afternoon of force-inspired activities. Prove your prowess by pinning a saber on Yoda, or demonstrate your might in the Wookie yell contest. […]