October 1, 2022
by jenniferpuryear
I miss Hilary Mantel already. And I think: it is already later than we think. Today I’d love to share a few reflections on her life and work… From Maggie O’Farrell (“Hamnet”), in The Guardian: We have lost another monarch this week. Mantel was queen of literature, and her reign was, like Elizabeth II’s, long, varied and uncontested. She leaves behind a huge, unfillable vacuum, …
April 15, 2020
by jenniferpuryear
Sean Kinch makes a strong case for Hilary Mantel’s new novel, The Mirror and the Light (in his socks, from his back porch, making quarantine look good). He calls his review a “nudge to fence sitters,” and I think you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!
March 23, 2020
by jenniferpuryear
Book Titles: First: Sandra Day O'Connor, The Mirror and The Light, Talking to Strangers
At the risk of stating the obvious: good things are happening every day, even as most of us wonder whether we’re facing a best case or worst case scenario, as described by Nicholas Kristof in his New York Times column Sunday. (Perhaps most likely something in between?) Nashville just got the news that we’ll be sheltering in place for 14 days at least. One of the …
March 30, 2015
by jenniferpuryear
You’ve either got a taste for the blood-drenched, sexed-up, medieval-flavored political brilliance of Game of Thrones – or you don’t. I figure I’m in good company with Margaret Atwood, who says, “Once sucked in, you stay sucked. Be warned.” I’m also expecting to be wild about the BBC miniseries Wolf Hall, which airs Sunday nights beginning April 5th on PBS Masterpiece (9 pm central). Game of Thrones starts up …
December 2, 2014
by jenniferpuryear
Book Titles: The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher, Thunderstruck
Let’s dream of the perfect cocktail party this holiday season, discerning reader! Little black dresses float round about, and gentlemen sport their festive ties. One’s champagne flute is always full – and every conversation is short and sweet. Why get trapped in the corner by a huge novel this December? It’s not the season for The Goldfinch. Two smart new short story collections provide just the …