Prison is more than a place. It’s also a mindset. When I entered Corrective Colony No. 2—or IK-2, in Mordovia, a region more than 300 miles east of Moscow—I flipped a switch in my head. I’m an inmate now, I told myself. I’ll be here at least nine years. I even rehearsed my release date: …
In the spring of 2014, when I set out to write the novel that would become The Idea Of You, I didn’t plan on writing something that was revolutionary or controversial. I wanted to write a story about Solène Marchand, a woman on the cusp of 40 who rediscovers and redefines herself through an unexpected …
Knocking on the front door, it’s already clear that this is one of those dreamy California artist houses, its rich green paint and big windows lighting up a quiet street. Inside there are flowers on the bathroom shelf, music lilting in the background. And the kitchen! A jar of fresh cilantro sprigs on the table. …
The fantasy genre has gone through many changes, from whimsical fables or grimdark tales to worlds filled to the brim with unknowable magic and those built around systems that describe magic down to every specific rule. It seems impossible for authors’ works to survive the shifting of these sands, but there are always timeless masterpieces. In this …
After repeated incidents of verbal and online abuse, the owners of a community bookstore in Old Town Monrovia — considered a safe space for BIPOC and LGBTQ+ groups — have announced they will be closing its doors in summer. That is, unless someone from the community is willing to step up. Underdog Bookstore opened its …
The best books coming in April include historian Erik Larson’s latest nonfiction thriller, former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey’s meditation on writing, and Salman Rushdie’s agonizing account of the brutal knife attack he suffered two years ago. Other notable releases include a pair of career-spanning anthologies that celebrate the works of cultural critic Maggie Nelson …
It’s safe to say that Aretha Franklin was not known for her modesty. After Page Six revealed that Franklin once hired three makeup artists to paint her face for one event, we now hear she had had her own music played during photoshoots, sending her into a reverie of self-appreciation! Smith photographed Franklin from 2005 thru 2018. …
When she was a young girl, Diane Marie Brown had a penchant for writing. She wrote a lot of what she called “make believe stories” for her mother and friends through her high school years. But she never thought that she would write a book like “Black Candle Women,” her debut novel which has been …
It’s World Book Day on Wednesday 7 March, and Airbnb is celebrating with an exciting opportunity for voracious readers. For one night only, guests can book a stay inside the Hidden Library of London’s iconic St Paul’s Cathedral. Best of all? It’ll cost you just £7. “The Hidden Library of St Paul’s Cathedral’s is truly …
Melania Trump was allegedly furious with Donald Trump and wanted him to be shamed for his sex scandal with Stormy Daniels — all while keeping true feelings from the public, a new book claims. Former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham told Katie Rogers for her book, “American Woman: The Transformation of the Modern First …