Penelope Fitzgerald (1916-2000), a woman who did not start writing until after her sixtieth birthday in the 1970s, was not what scholars would consider a traditional modernist. She did not write during modernism’s height, did not help to create the significant change of that era, and did not fraternize with other modernists. However, she did... Continue Reading →
When I first read The Sun Also Rises (1926) by Ernest Hemingway, I was an undergraduate student in a class on American Modernism. My professor was a tall bald man who said the word “modernity” in a nasally voice at least 100 times every class period. It was hard not to laugh and smirk when... Continue Reading →
I’ve read a few different short story collections by Ernest Hemingway. Here are my musings on some of the specific stories in those collections. “Soldier’s Home,” from the collection In Our Time (1925), is a product of Modernism, a literary and social movement surrounding World War I in which the world experienced dramatic change. Harold... Continue Reading →
Warning: This post explores the literary term “bitch goddess,” and I therefore use that word frequently. I understand that this is offensive and upsetting to some people, so please don’t take it personally and please don’t read this post if strong language offends you. Female characters in Hemingway’s work are often called “bitch goddesses,” who... Continue Reading →
I enjoyed reminiscing about Ernest Hemingway’s books so much while reading and posting on The Paris Wife, that I’ve decided to post five days this week on the works of Ernest Hemingway. I’ll be using a lot of the information from the class I took during my Master’s degree on Hemingway, and I’ll share some... Continue Reading →
In my notes on William Faulkner’s Absalom, Absalom! (1936), I have written, “It’s okay to use a period once in a while!” Obviously, I was frustrated, but this note also tells me that I had gotten over my fear of Faulkner (1897-1962). I’ll never forget being in high school and watching my mom come home... Continue Reading →
I recently read Zora Neale Hurston’s masterpiece, Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937). It is the second time I have picked up this book. The first time occurred about a decade ago, and I got intimidated and stopped reading. Sometimes I do that. I let the first few pages of a book slide through my... Continue Reading →
The Old Wives’ Tale (1908) by Arnold Bennett is probably a book you’ve never heard of. I hadn’t heard of it until a few months ago when I came across it at the library. I checked it out, never got to it, and returned it. But I found the e-book for free and downloaded it... Continue Reading →
I like to buy books at thrift stores. We have a large chain of thrift stores in my area called Deseret Industries. We frequently donate, and get tax deductions for it, but I also frequently shop for books there. And, on occasion I’ll find children’s toys or bikes in great condition. Anyway, my most recent... Continue Reading →
When I picked up a copy of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca (1938), number 15 on the BBC Book List, I couldn’t help but think, “Is this a romance novel?” You know, one of those with a picture of Fabio on the cover caressing a voluptuous woman? The paperback copy I have (pictured below) has some... Continue Reading →
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 