Every Friday, the staff at Literary Traveler gathers up the relevant book news from around the web, bringing it together in a handy post for book lovers to peruse. Enjoy!
- In her piece on the immensely talented American author Shirley Jackson, Joan Schenkar introduces her subject as “Stanley’s wife,” which is, unfortunately, how she was seen for much of her life. However, as Schenkar shows, Jackson was so much more than simply a wife – she was self-professed witch, a master of manipulation, and a true artist with words. For more insights into Jackson and the literary culture of Bennington, Vermont, check out Shenkar’s piece in it’s entirety here.
- Harry Potter fans will flock to the new ride at University Studios in Orlando, Florida. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter will open on June 18th and feature a virtual trip through the magical world of Hogwarts, including a stop at Ollivander’s Wand Shop and an interactive Quidditch match. Sign me up.
- Rest in peace Ai, award-winning poet and all-around admirable woman. Born Florence Anthony, she changed her name to the Japanese word for love before receiving the Guggenheim Fellowship in 1975 and the National Book Award for her poetry collection “Vice.” Take a moment to mourn the literary loss and read her poetry here.
- Books can take us many places, but one of my favorite places to explore through the written word is only a few steps away: My own kitchen. There is something truly magical about a novel that can not only transport you in space and time, but also tickle your tastebuds. With this in mind, let’s try to recall our favorite culinary moments (mine from the children’s book series Redwall) with this article from the Guardian on food and fiction.
- Have you been following March Madness? No? Well for those of us more interested in the Food Court than the basketball court, here is a fun way to participate: Book tournaments.
- And finally, Tim O’Brien appeared at Barnes & Noble earlier this week to discuss The Things They Carried on the twentieth anniversary of its publication. An audio recording of the interview, in which O’Brien discusses storytelling, his most famous work, and the tragic legacy of Vietnam, is available online.