Denis Donoghue has an essay on a new biography of Gerard Manley Hopkins, saying biographers and readers of the poet cannot be too at ease with him. The pious poet is complicated.
Category Archives: Authors
Klavan brings us hope
From Pajamas Media: Andrew Klavan writes about the success of the television show, “The Mentalist,” and the need for cheerfulness in stories.
Poet Jane Mayhall, 90, has passed away
Kentucky poet, Jane Mayhall, whose latest collection of poems is called, Sleeping Late on Judgment Day, has died at age 90.
What Makes the Irish So Good?
Why are the Irish such good writers? Don’t even try to argue that they aren’t. The green of envy is not the shade we’re looking for.
In related news, Seamus Heaney wins the £40,000 David Cohen prize for literary achievement.
The Irish in New York
The New York State Writer’s Institute has a YouTube playlist of Irish poets, authors, and playwrights talking about their books, writing, and Ireland. I’ve listened only through Fintan O’Toole’s segment so far. It’s pretty interesting. The volume varies a bit, so you may want earphones.
Horton Foote
Horton Foote, whom Terry Teachout called one of our greatest playwrights, died this week at age 92.
Praise for Graham Swift
They always say, “Write what you know”
Master thriller writer Frederick Forsyth stumbled into a genuine political coup on a recent research trip to Guinea-Bissau in West Africa.
From the Associated Press:
Hours before he touched down in the West African nation, a bomb hidden under a staircase blew apart the armed forces chief. Hours later the president was gunned down, and according to Forsyth, hacked to pieces.
He said he has stopped inventing fictional places “because the world is so weird and so scary, you might as well use the real ones.”
Read the rest here.
Sigrid Undset on Russia
Today at The Brussels Journal, Thomas F. Bertonneau gives a synopsis of a fascinating report written by author Sigrid Undset (one of my favorites) following her escape from occupied Norway through Russia and Japan during World War II.
At least one western intellectual wasn’t duped by Stalin.
The church Mark Twain built?
One of the oddest stories of the day comes from Nevada. The Reno City Supervisors, apparently, want to spend money to preserve its First Presbyterian Church. Their reason for this is that Mark Twain (Samuel L. Clemens) helped to raise money to build it, during his 3-year sojourn in the state. (Apparently he participated as a favor to his brother, who was a member.) “Americans United for Separation of Church and State” objects.
Considering Mark Twain’s well-known views on religion, the whole story is kind of surreal. Like preserving a historically black church in memory of George Wallace or something.