Lee Smith (1) (1944–)
Autore di Le ultime ragazze
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Sull'Autore
Lee Smith is a novelist, short story writer, and educator. She was born in 1944 in Grundy, Virginia. Smith attended Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia. In her senior year at Hollins, Smith entered a Book-of-the-Month Club contest, submitting a draft of a novel called The Last Day the Dog Bushes mostra altro Bloomed. The book, one of 12 entries to receive a fellowship, was published in 1968. Smith wrote reviews for local papers and continued to write short stories. Her first collection of short stories, Cakewalk, was published in 1981. Smith taught at North Carolina State University. Her novel, Oral History, published in 1983, was a Book-of-the-Month Club featured selection. She has received two O. Henry Awards, the Robert Penn Warren Prize for Fiction, the North Carolina Award for Fiction, the Lila Wallace/Reader's Digest Award, and the Academy Award in Literature presented by the American Academy of Arts and Letters. (Bowker Author Biography) mostra meno
Opere di Lee Smith
Opere correlate
My Bookstore: Writers Celebrate Their Favorite Places to Browse, Read, and Shop (2012) — Collaboratore — 569 copie, 15 recensioni
The Scribner Anthology of Contemporary Short Fiction: Fifty North American American Stories Since 1970 (1999) — Collaboratore — 521 copie, 4 recensioni
Growing Up in the South: An Anthology of Modern Southern Literature (1991) — Collaboratore — 140 copie, 1 recensione
Best of the South: From the Second Decade of New Stories from the South (2005) — Collaboratore — 47 copie
Bloodroot: Reflections on Place by Appalachian Women Writers (1998) — Collaboratore — 46 copie, 2 recensioni
A Very Southern Christmas: Holiday Stories from the South’s Best Writers (2003) — Collaboratore — 34 copie, 1 recensione
Etichette
Informazioni generali
- Nome canonico
- Smith, Lee
- Altri nomi
- Smith, Lee Marshall
- Data di nascita
- 1944-11-01
- Sesso
- female
- Nazionalità
- USA
- Luogo di nascita
- Grundy, Virginia, USA
- Luogo di residenza
- Hillsborough, North Carolina, USA
Grundy, Virginia, USA (birth)
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA - Istruzione
- Hollins College (BA|1966)
- Attività lavorative
- novelist
- Relazioni
- Dillard, Annie (friend)
Crowther, Hal (husband) - Organizzazioni
- Fellowship of Southern Writers
The Virginia Woolfs - Premi e riconoscimenti
- Robert Penn Warren Award for Fiction (1991)
American Academy of Arts and Letters Academy Award (1999)
John Dos Passos Prize (1987)
Sidney Lanier Prize for Southern Literature (2013)
O. Henry Award (1978, 1980)
Utenti
Recensioni
Liste
Page Turners (1)
Female Author (1)
Premi e riconoscimenti
Potrebbero anche piacerti
Autori correlati
Statistiche
- Opere
- 23
- Opere correlate
- 24
- Utenti
- 6,478
- Popolarità
- #3,793
- Voto
- 3.7
- Recensioni
- 245
- ISBN
- 259
- Lingue
- 7
- Preferito da
- 23
I thought the writing and historical aspects of rural living in Appalachia was well crafted. Even though the characters were fictional, I am guessing there was more truth to the story than not. The story was told from the perspective of Ivy Rowe in the form of letters to friends and family. I enjoyed the epistolary format. The errors in grammar and spelling that were purposely inserted into the letters (which improved as Ivy became older) did not bother me.
This was a dark story though, with late 19th century and early 20th century rural living portrayed in it's grittiest form. There were a few rays of sunshine in the book, when Ivy actually felt momentary joy or soaked in the beauty of nature, which Lee Smith also depicts well. I think I didn't completely connect with this story, as for the most part Ivy comes across as incredibly selfish and "contrary," even as she ages. Ivy was described as being beautiful, which either brought her grief or gave her opportunities, which she usually passed up for various odd reasons. Overall, Ivy wasn't especially likable and most of the letters she wrote were a form of therapy for her, versus being a form of information or entertainment for the recipient. I did feel sympathy for Ivy's situation and her longing for a better life or wondering what might of been. Having said that, I also kept waiting for Ivy to grow up and stop letting her emotions (or every handsome man that looked her way) quickly lure her into making incredibly poor decisions.
The plethora of societal issues inserted into the story, including infidelity, poverty, incest, criminal activity, hidden LBGTQ lifestyles and hypocrisy in religion, just became overwhelming. Most of the characters were portrayed as neurotic or "simple," which is how Ivy sometimes described family or friends in her letters. Not meaning the author should have ignored these issues, but maybe dialed back the constant drama a little. Perhaps this just wasn't the right time for me to soak in and fully appreciate the author's message, especially with the ongoing pandemic and the frustration those of us with critical thinking skills, are continuing to experience with certain members of our society.
This is a story many readers of historical fiction would probably appreciate, though I had mixed feelings about it and difficulty deciding on a rating. Out of fairness to the author, I settled on 3.5 stars and round it up to 4.… (altro)