In theory, the author of a great novel is invisible to the reader, letting her stories and characters speak for themselves. In practice, however, it can help for an author to make herself known, as explained by Tim Parks in this essay. Sample quote: “We have the impression that if someone ever did find the full story of his life, we would immediately recognize the person we had in mind.”
Show and Tell
Sex and the City Prequel
For those who just can't get enough of Carrie Bradshaw, Candace Bushnell's latest: The Carrie Diaries. And some coverage of the book at USA Today.
Han Kang Wins the Man Booker International Prize
This year’s Man Booker International Prize goes to Han Kang’s "dark, cynical," and vivid novel The Vegetarian, translated from the Korean by Deborah Smith. Also check out John Yargo’s Millions review of the novel.
The British Library Goes Digital
The British Library is launching a new iPad app that will eventually feature over 60,000 19th century books.
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Statements of the Union
The President gave his final State of the Union address on Tuesday night. McSweeney’s shares with us some talking points that have been cut from SOTU addresses over the years.
Poe’s Back
After a period of uncertainty, Baltimore’s Edgar Allan Poe House is finally scheduled for reopening. To celebrate the victory, check out Édouard Manet’s illustrations for the French edition of “The Raven.”
Tuesday New Release Day: Pollan, Sedaris, Stelter, Currey, Thompson, Stothard, Rutherfurd, Wecker, Riley
The headliners this week are on the non-fiction side: Michael Pollan's Cooked and Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls by David Sedaris. Also new in non-fiction: Top of the Morning: Inside the Cutthroat World of Morning TV by the Times' Brian Stelter and Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey. In fiction: The Humanity Project by Jean Thompson, The Pink Hotel by Anna Stothard, Paris by Edward Rutherfurd, The Golem and the Jinni by Helene Wecker, and The Enchanted Life of Adam Hope by Rhonda Riley.
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