Glenway Wescott's "The Pilgrim Hawk: A Love Story" is described by the New York Review of Books as "A work of classical elegance and concision" and says it "stands with Faulkner's 'The Bear' as one of the finest American short novels." I've reached a point in my life where I realize some books need to be read a second time to fully appreciate them, let alone understand the depths of their meaning. "The Pilgrim Hawk" is one of them.
Category: Good Books
Forgotten Pulitzer-winning novels
NPR's All Things Considering offered a list of novels that won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and likely would provoke a perplexed "huh? who?" Here's that list. It includes three Ohio authors: Louis Bromfield, Josephine Johnson and Conrad Richter. Johnson's novel Now in November is not forgotten by me -- it's one I've given as a gift, … Continue reading Forgotten Pulitzer-winning novels
Jennie Gerhardt is back
A few years ago, at some random point in my reading journey, an author or critic said he or she preferred Theodore Dreiser's Jennie Gerhardt, published in 1911, to the more famously known and assigned Dreiser classic Sister Carrie. Not just preferred, though -- the book was described as a favorite. I went online to purchase a copy, only … Continue reading Jennie Gerhardt is back
W. S. Merwin wins Pulitzer
Pulitzer Prize winners for Letters, Drama and Music 2009 announced today are listed here in the New York Times. Among them is W. S. Merwin for his extraordinary collection of poetry The Shadow of Sirius. One of my favorites in the collection, etching unforgettable images/sounds, "An Empty Lot" about the "long dusty patch/ of high ragweed" … Continue reading W. S. Merwin wins Pulitzer
A common story that’s irresistible reading
Happens Every Day by Isabel Gillies went on sale this week. It had a strict-on-sale date of March 24 due to the deal with Starbuck's to sell the memoir in its stores. Maureen Corrigan in her recent NPR "Fresh Air" review called it compulsively readable, and it is indeed that. (Corrigan's review is the reason I ran … Continue reading A common story that’s irresistible reading
One plus one = truth
The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa; translated by Stephen Snyder Don’t let the math equations frighten you off from this gentle gem. I hated math and struggled with it in school – and while I didn’t always get the nameless professor’s explanations in these absorbing pages about prime numbers, let alone amicable numbers, … Continue reading One plus one = truth
The memorable Jack Brule
In the March 2 issue of "Publisher's Weekly," there's a starred preview of Ward Just's novel to be published this July, Exiles in the Garden. The reviewer says, "Just writes with confidence and authority as he works through larger themes of politics, history, war and historical judgment." I'll be eager to read it -- I've … Continue reading The memorable Jack Brule
The Longest Chapter 