Saturday, September 26, 2015

Julianna Baggott

Julianna Baggott has published more than twenty books over the last twelve years.

Her new novel is Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders.

Recently I asked Baggott about what she was reading. Her reply:
Clarice Lispector's Complete Stories. I'm not reading these beauties in order. Lispector is hailed as the greatest Brazilian writer of the twentieth century and I hadn't ever heard her name before reading a review of the book by Jeff VanderMeer. I'm enjoying dipping in and out of the book, letting them haunt, circling back for more.

I studied with Fred Chappell in the 90s and just came around again to The Fred Chappell Reader. Lee Smith calls him the "resident genius" of Southern writing and I wanted to come back to his work with my eye a bit more mature. I've been awed and disturbed. So wonderful.

Along with so many others, this summer will always be marked by Ta-Nehisi Coates' book -- written to his son -- Between the World and Me. He has altered the way I think about race, about the United States, and about how I'm raising my own children. I'm so thankful for his work and his voice.

In picture books -- our youngest is still young enough -- we have the new release by Laurel Snyder, Swan. My eight year old says that it's beautiful and sad, sadiful.
Visit Julianna Baggott's website and blog.

My Book, The Movie: Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders.

The Page 69 Test: Harriet Wolf's Seventh Book of Wonders.

--Marshal Zeringue