NPR People: Maureen Corrigan

NPR People: Maureen Corrigan http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4529709&ft=1&f=4529709 Maureen Corrigan is a book critic for Fresh Air. Copyright 2009 NPR - For Personal Use Only NPR API RSS Generator 0.93 Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0500 http://media.npr.org/images/npr_news_123x20.gif Maureen Corrigan http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4529709&ft=1&f=4529709 'The Lacuna,' Kingsolver's Vacant Return It's been nine years since Barbara Kingsolver, author of <em>The Poisonwood Bible,</em> has released a new novel — but is <em>The Lacuna</em> worth the wait? Critic Maureen Corrigan says this personalized perspective on the Red Scare in Mexico reflects the hidden meaning of the book's title: vacancy. Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 -0500 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120025143&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120025143&ft=1&f=4529709 It's been nine years since Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible, has released a new novel — but is The Lacuna worth the wait? Critic Maureen Corrigan says this personalized perspective on the Red Scare in Mexico reflects the hidden meaning of the book's title: vacancy.

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]]> The Inner Life Of An Imperfect Marriage Jane Gardam has spent her long career writing dry, honest books about British life. Her new novel, <em>The Man in the Wooden Hat</em>, showcases the regrets of a woman never quite sure that marrying her husband was the right choice. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls Gardam the best British writer you've never heard of. Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:10:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114009139&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114009139&ft=1&f=4529709 Jane Gardam has spent her long career writing dry, honest books about British life. Her new novel, The Man in the Wooden Hat, showcases the regrets of a woman never quite sure that marrying her husband was the right choice. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls Gardam the best British writer you've never heard of.

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]]> 'Wimpy Kid': A Hilarious Take On Middle School Life If a comic book about surviving middle school doesn't sound like a must read to you, think again. Critic Maureen Corrigan says that Jeff Kinney's <em>Dog Days</em> — the latest in his <em>Diary of a Wimpy Kid</em> series — hits home with any crowd. Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113749133&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113749133&ft=1&f=4529709 If a comic book about surviving middle school doesn't sound like a must read to you, think again. Critic Maureen Corrigan says that Jeff Kinney's Dog Days — the latest in his Diary of a Wimpy Kid series — hits home with any crowd.

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]]> A Smart, Twisting Novel Of Identity And Confusion Set in various fantastic and creepy landscapes, Dan Chaon's latest book, <em>Await Your Reply,</em> weaves together three separate narratives in what reviewer Maureen Corrigan calls a "spinning nebula of a novel." Fri, 09 Oct 2009 12:52:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112292650&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112292650&ft=1&f=4529709 Set in various fantastic and creepy landscapes, Dan Chaon's latest book, Await Your Reply, weaves together three separate narratives in what reviewer Maureen Corrigan calls a "spinning nebula of a novel."

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]]> A Waltz Through Depression-Era Art And Culture Morris Dickstein's dazzling new cultural history of the Great Depression, called <em>Dancing in the Dark,</em> is one of those "everything but the kitchen sink" kind of books — that really works. Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:25:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113057611&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113057611&ft=1&f=4529709 Morris Dickstein's dazzling new cultural history of the Great Depression, called Dancing in the Dark, is one of those "everything but the kitchen sink" kind of books — that really works.

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]]> Wonder, Bemusement Reign In Moore's 'Gate' Lorrie Moore puts her penetrating prose and sly observations to work in her latest novel, <em>A Gate at the Stairs.</em> Critic Maureen Corrigan calls the book "a literary cyclone." Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:37:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112639558&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=112639558&ft=1&f=4529709 Lorrie Moore puts her penetrating prose and sly observations to work in her latest novel, A Gate at the Stairs. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls the book "a literary cyclone."

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]]> Russo's Old 'Magic' Shines In Wry New Novel Richard Russo turns a satiric eye toward matrimony and middle age in his new novel, <em>That Old Cape Magic</em>. Book critic Maureen Corrigan calls the book a "glistening ... chambered nautilus of a novel." Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:00:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111801217&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111801217&ft=1&f=4529709 Richard Russo turns a satiric eye toward matrimony and middle age in his new novel, That Old Cape Magic. Book critic Maureen Corrigan calls the book a "glistening ... chambered nautilus of a novel."

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]]> 'Best Friends Forever': Smart, Sassy Chick Lit Jennifer Weiner's latest novel, <em>Best Friends Forever,</em> is much sharper than its dopey title would suggest. With a nod to <em>Thelma and Louise,</em> Weiner's Addie and Valerie rekindle a friendship that fizzled decades ago. Thu, 06 Aug 2009 13:47:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111544750&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111544750&ft=1&f=4529709 Jennifer Weiner's latest novel, Best Friends Forever, is much sharper than its dopey title would suggest. With a nod to Thelma and Louise, Weiner's Addie and Valerie rekindle a friendship that fizzled decades ago.

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]]> 'Fordlandia': An Automaker's Failed Jungle Utopia When Henry Ford bought up a Connecticut-sized chunk of land in the Amazon River basin in 1927, he wasn't just planning to build his own vertically-integrated rubber plantation — he also envisioned the small-town America of his youth, reborn in the jungle. Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:49:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111297852&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=111297852&ft=1&f=4529709 When Henry Ford bought up a Connecticut-sized chunk of land in the Amazon River basin in 1927, he wasn't just planning to build his own vertically-integrated rubber plantation — he also envisioned the small-town America of his youth, reborn in the jungle.

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]]> In Ederle Bio, A Channel-Crosser's Defiant Spirit Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel, finishing faster than any of the five men who had done it before. <em>Young Woman and the Sea</em> shows how Ederle's fame grew, then evaporated. Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:48:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106857551&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106857551&ft=1&f=4529709 Gertrude Ederle was the first woman to swim the English Channel, finishing faster than any of the five men who had done it before. Young Woman and the Sea shows how Ederle's fame grew, then evaporated.

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]]> Hemingway's 'Feast' On The Move Into New Edition In time for the 110th anniversary of the author's birth, Ernest Hemingway's posthumous memoir, <em>A Moveable Feast</em>, has been restored — or rather, as Maureen Corrigan would have it, "remixed." Mon, 13 Jul 2009 10:40:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106539590&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106539590&ft=1&f=4529709 In time for the 110th anniversary of the author's birth, Ernest Hemingway's posthumous memoir, A Moveable Feast, has been restored — or rather, as Maureen Corrigan would have it, "remixed."

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]]> Five Generations Of Female Longing, Frustration Short but not so sweet, Kate Walbert's melancholy new novel, <em>A Short History of Women,</em> follows five generations of women. Maureen Corrigan has a review. Tue, 07 Jul 2009 11:43:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105871364&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105871364&ft=1&f=4529709 Short but not so sweet, Kate Walbert's melancholy new novel, A Short History of Women, follows five generations of women. Maureen Corrigan has a review.

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]]> What People Were Reading During The Depression What can old issues of <em>Publishers Weekly</em> tell us about reading habits in dire economic times? Maureen Corrigan cracks open some of the magazine's 1933 issues and learns that readers today aren't so different from our Depression-era brethren. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:03:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105350224&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=105350224&ft=1&f=4529709 What can old issues of Publishers Weekly tell us about reading habits in dire economic times? Maureen Corrigan cracks open some of the magazine's 1933 issues and learns that readers today aren't so different from our Depression-era brethren.

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]]> Novelist Explores Book Groups, Hollywood-Style In Chandler Burr's <em>You or Someone Like You,</em> the wife of a powerful Hollywood executive unexpectedly finds herself at the helm of a popular book group. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls it a "smart novel" that offers "a very tough reflection on the idea of 'group-ness' itself" Thu, 04 Jun 2009 09:50:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104866339&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104866339&ft=1&f=4529709 In Chandler Burr's You or Someone Like You, the wife of a powerful Hollywood executive unexpectedly finds herself at the helm of a popular book group. Critic Maureen Corrigan calls it a "smart novel" that offers "a very tough reflection on the idea of 'group-ness' itself"

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]]> A Return To America's Gustatory Past Mark Kurlansky's <em>The Food of a Younger Land</em> presents a marvelous history of America's gastronomical oddities and antiques; a remembrance of tastes and customs past. Maureen Corrigan has a review. Thu, 28 May 2009 11:09:00 -0400 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104658317&ft=1&f=4529709 http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104658317&ft=1&f=4529709 Mark Kurlansky's The Food of a Younger Land presents a marvelous history of America's gastronomical oddities and antiques; a remembrance of tastes and customs past. Maureen Corrigan has a review.

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