
Literary Figures
Decades Later, Laurie Colwin's Books 'Will Not Let You Down'
A digital publisher has released a bounty of Colwin's books: four novels, three short-story collections and a collection of cooking essays. Colin, who died in 1992 at age 48, had an "elusive magic."
Was Jane Austen Edited? Does It Matter?
For most readers, the beauty of Jane Austen's style lies in her elegant syntax and punctuation. Now, an Oxford scholar has created a furor by suggesting that the credit for Austen's style should really be given to the man who edited her novels. But linguist Geoff Nunberg remains skeptical.
Behind The Iron Curtain: Solzhenitsyn Remembered
On August 3, Russian author Alexander Solzhenitsyn died of heart failure at age 89. Solzhenitsyn exposed the atrocities committed by the Soviet Gulag in his work, One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich. Fresh Air remembers the Nobel Prize winner.
Mailer Remembered as Controversial, Provocative
Norman Mailer's work combined sweeping cultural criticism, erudition and obscenity.
Mailer's 60-year career was full of depth and controversy. The novelist, who died Nov. 10, was often deliberately provocative, says book critic Maureen Corrigan.
And though he made perhaps his strongest impact as an essayist and journalist, Mailer wanted to be remembered as a novelist.
Book Critic Maureen Corrigan
She reflects on the career of author Norman Mailer, who turns 80 today.
Beyond words: David Remnick
For today's entire show we excerpt portions of The New Yorker magazines benefit program Beyond Words in which New Yorker writers read the work of others on-stage. (Taped Thursday, Oct. 11 at Town Hall in New York City). Beyond Words benefits The September 11th Fund. David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker introduces the readings.
Beyond words: Woody Allen
WOODY ALLEN reads from
"Nobody Asked Me But. . ." (1943) by Jimmy Cannon.
"New York City Folklore" (1956) by Damon Runyon
"Damon Runyon's Ashes" (1946/1953) by Damon Runyon, Jr.
Eudora Welty
Book critic Maureen Corrigan has an appreciation of writer Eudora Welty who died earlier this week, and a review of Zigzagging Down a Wild Trail by Bobbie Ann Mason
Sam Shepard Reads His Fiction
Segment of a reading by playwright and actor Sam Shepard. It took place at the 92nd Street Y Unterberg Poetry Center in New York on October 6, 1994. Shepard has a new short story collection called "Cruising Paradise."
A Construction Worker Turned Author on Finding His Footing in the Literary World
Commentator Dagoberto Gilb talks about his brush with literary celebrity during his recent book tour.