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Tag Archives: 2011
On Writing: Nicole Krauss And The Magic Of Literature
It's always a question of whether the story will come when a writer sits down to begin a work and for Nicole Krauss, it's always a mystery. In an interview with Interview magazine, she talks about her strengths as a writer:
Part of the work of writing a novel is to uncover these symmetries or connections that make it whole, which might not reveal itself at first. I have a very strong sense of architecture in my novels. But, yes, at first it's sometimes like it's like building a doorknob before you have a door, and a door before you have a room.
When asked about her writing process for Great House, she admits that this is her favorite part of her job:
On different days I would work on different sections and sometimes I would get really absorbed into one voice and I would write... Read More →
VIDEO: What Draws Nicole Krauss To The Keyboard
"I have to care so much about something if I'm going to sit and write about for a couple of years. There's enough books in the world already, there's no reason to make another one. Unless there's a feeling that's incredibly pressing. That's the reason why you write."
Nicole Krauss sits down in this brief interview with the Sundance Channel to discuss what commonalities exist between her characters and why she, and other writers, feels the pull to write.
Read More →
Get To Know…Nicole Krauss
Each week, we’ll be helping you to get to know our winners better (what a great bunch they are) and highlighting the best of their work, interviews and essays. This week we'll be focusing on Nicole Krauss, 2011 winner for fiction.
Even some of the most celebrated writers of our time struggle with doubt from time to time. How do they know if their work will resonate with readers? Do they aim for writing an award-winning book each time they sit in front of the keyboard or do they just wish for an authentic voice or story to guide them to completion? Nicole Krauss, author of three novels and a National Book Award finalist, wrote an unflinchingly honest essay on her story writing process and whether she ever feels a story will be successful as soon as she starts:
I begin my novels... Read More →
VIDEO: Kamila Shamsie Introduces The “Writer’s Bloc” Project
How do we change the face of education worldwide? Is it simply a matter of producing better teachers? Donating money for repairs and renovations of some of the most dilapidated schools? Is it by working more closely with parents? Staff at the Open Society Foundations decided that an conversation on worldwide education had to start with a conversation on culture. They tapped several writers to contribute to the project—Chimamanda Adiche (writing on Nigeria), Aleksander Hemon (on Bosnia), Tahmima Anam (on Bangladesh), Petina Guppah (on Zimbabwe), Nathalie Handal (on Haiti), Rachel Holmes (on Palestine), Nick Laird (on Nepal), Kamila Shamsie (on Pakistan), Hardeep Sing Kholi (on India), and Zukisa Wanner (on South Africa).
Zadie Smith (also an Anisfield-Wolf award winner) wrote the... Read More →
Friday Lit Review: Things You Might Have Missed While You Were Out
Each Friday we’ll be bringing you news about your favorite authors, literature and books in general. Tell us what you think in the comments:
Sweet Blackberry, founded by actress Karyn Parsons, is an educational foundation and production company whose mission is to use the power of storytelling to educate, empower, and inspire kids from all backgrounds. The organization showcases stories of African Americans, immigrants, women or disabled individuals to highlight their courage and accomplishments. This trailer is a behind-the-scenes look at their mission, their process and their goals.
Tri-C student Brian Ivey interviewed Isabel Wilkerson after her February talk on campus. Check out the video and hear about her connection to her work, The Warmth of Other Suns, and why she felt an... Read More →
VIDEO: “The Warmth Of Other Suns” Turned Into A…Song?
We find the most fascinating things by following our favorite authors on Facebook and Twitter. 2011 winner Isabel Wilkerson shared this gem with us and we're happy to share it with you.
Wilkerson wrote:
So cool. A composer and a violinist are creating a classical work of music based on "The Warmth of Other Suns." Gratified that the story of the Migration is crossing boundaries and inspiring unexpected art forms. Kudos to Leaha Villarreal and Andie Springer for embracing this book in their work!
Read More →
Friday Lit Review: Things You Might Have Missed When You Were Busy Living Life
Each Friday we'll be bringing you news about your favorite authors, literature and books in general. Check out the first installment and tell us what you think in the comments:
Isabel Wilkerson (2011 winner) was on PBS Newshour to discuss the groundbreaking of the Smithsonian's African-American History Museum. See her part at the 4:00 minute mark.
Our friends over at Book Riot have declared May 8 "Toni Morrison Day" based off the release date of Ms. Morrison's (1998 winner) newest book, Home. One of their writers will be re-reading her entire catalog and will be blogging about the experience.
Paule Marshall (2009 winner) will be doing a reading during the 2012 Harlem Jazz Shrines Festival, scheduled for May 7-13.
New York has tons of payphones but its... Read More →
What Will We Do If Public Libraries No Longer Exist?
2011 Anisfield-Wolf winner Kamila Shamsie reflects on the availability of literature through the world's public libraries—and what that means for future generations:
"A couple of years ago, after a reading in Karachi, I told off a young man who was asking me to sign a pirated copy of one of my books. Piracy is destroying publishing in Pakistan, I told him. He said he understood but added that because pirated books are cheaper he could buy more of them. It’s not as if Karachi is filled with public libraries, he said."
Shamsie goes on to discuss the rising crisis in London, where 10 percent of all libraries have closed since April 2011. Read the full article here. A commenter on the article added:
"Libraries are important not just for the poor. They work for all of us and... Read More →
Meet 2011 Winner Mary Helen Stefaniak At Cuyahoga County Public Library
Meet Mary Helen Stefaniak, author of The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia. When new teacher, Miss Grace Spivey, arrives and turns the annual festival into an exotic Baghdad Bazaar, the town is thrown into an uproar.
Although her progressive spirit proves threatening to some, Miss Spivey succeeds in pushing the limitations of stereotypes and inspiring change.
The Cailiffs of Baghdad, Georgia was the winner of a 2011 Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for Fiction.
Books will be available for purchase and signing courtest of the Friends of the Bay Village Library and Mac's Books - Books on Coventry. Registration is required. To register, visit cuyahogalibrary.org or call 440.871.6392
Read More →
6 Quotes From Your Favorite Authors
Because it is more appealing to hear from the authors themselves, we've rounded up some of the best quotes we've heard this year (even if they're a bit older) from some of our distinguished Anisfield-Wolf Award winners. Enjoy!
"I want you to show them the difference between what they think you are and what you can be." — Ernest J. Gaines, A Lesson Before Dying
"At some point in life the world's beauty becomes enough. You don't need to photograph, paint or even remember it. It is enough."--Toni Morrison
"Art, after all, is - at its best - a lie that tells us the truth." — Nam Le
"Poetry is what you find / in the dirt in the corner, / overhear on the bus, God / in the details, the only way / to get from here to there." —Elizabeth Alexander, Ars Poetica #100: I... Read More →
