Mission

Bibliophiliac is the space where one passionate, voracious reader reflects on books and the reading life. You will find reviews, analysis, links, and reflections on poetry and prose both in and out of the mainstream.

A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. Franz Kafka

Thursday, September 9, 2010

The Story on Thursday: Annie Proulx


This week's featured writer is Annie Proulx.  I first encountered Proulx when I read her novel Postcards, which I thought was brilliant.  Postcards won the PEN/Faulkner Award in 1993, then Proulx was awarded both the Pulitzer Prize in Fiction and the National Book Award for The Shipping News.  Proulx lived in Vermont for more than thirty years, and has been married and divorced three times (she has four grown children).  The first interview I read with her discussed her early beginnings as a writer, living in obscurity and poverty; she first made a living as a free-lance writer, writing mostly for outdoors magazines.  Her first stories were published in Gray's Sporting Journal.  Even after achieving success with The Shipping News, Proulx has continued to live a quiet, almost reclusive life.

Proulx doesn't give many interviews, but her Paris Review:  The Art of Fiction is an extensive interview in which the writer discusses her writing and research methods--it's worth digging up a copy of the magazine.  There is also this interview at Bookslut.http://www.bookslut.com/features/2005_12_007310.php

Heartsongs and Other Stories (1988) is the first short story collection published by Proulx.  Details from some of the stories in this collection still stick with me years after reading the collection.  Proulx gets so deep inside her ornery, anti-social, thwarted characters that they become unforgettable.  The stories in Heartsong are set in New England, but her next three story collections are set in Wyoming:  Close Range:  Wyoming Stories; Bad Dirt:  Wyoming Stories 2; and Fine Just the Way it Is:  Wyoming Stories 3.  If you like stories about ordinary people, so true they hurt, you will love the stories of Annie Proulx.

8 comments:

Kathy Habel said...

Just stopping by for the Blog Hop. I'm a new follower. I've got some great giveaways this week. Hope you'll stop by to visit.
~Inspired Kathy
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
Giveaway Links:
Over The Moon by Diane Daniels.
The Aristobrats by Jennifer Solow.
The Maze Runner by James Dashner.

Lisa said...

I've never read any Proulx but have The Shipping News on Mt. TBR and loved the movie. One of these days!

IngridLola said...

I was so excited to see this post. I think Annie Proulx is a MASTER at crafting beautiful short stories. The ones I've read have stayed with me for a long time. One of my favorites is "Them Old Cowboy Songs."

Kate said...

I like your new meme! I linked this over at Kate's Library as part of my Friday Five.

Aisle B said...

I think I remember Postcards.... but my mind is failing me... it's called a case of too much time OFF! ;)

Going to look at the link attached to Proulx and head on over there.

Ms Napper you're in charge of whip cream for the party at Aisle B. Whip cream for the waffles... yes it's a dessert!
here's your invite http://aisleb.tumblr.com/post/1096637051/friday-book-blogger-hop-time

The Book Bee said...

Hi there, just stopping by to say you have a award over on my blog :)

bookbee

bibliophiliac said...

@Inspired Kathy-thanks! I am heading your way now!
@Lisa-try her!
@IngridLola-I agree--Proulx is a master, and Them Old Cowboy Songs is a great story...
@kate-thanks!
@PK-Postcards is really dark but brilliant...

bibliophiliac said...

@The Book Bee--thanks! I'm heading over!