Alison Lurie is a celebrated author whose works masterfully explore complex relationships and social dynamics, particularly within academic settings. She keenly observes and portrays characters navigating love, deception, and erotic entanglements, often set against the intellectual backdrop of universities. Her distinctive style is marked by sharp insights into human nature and a subtle wit that draws readers into the intricate social webs of her narratives. Beyond her fiction, Lurie also delves into the study of children's literature, enriching her literary scope.
Most of the enduring works of great children's literature are subversive in one way or another, maintains the author. In this book she looks at authors who have written with dangerous directness to the young.
Jenny has devoted her life to her husband, the naturalist Wilkie Walker. She is as rare a creature as the endangered species he works to preserve. But this year, as winter comes on, Wilkie seems distant and depressed. In desperation Jenny persuades him to visit Key West, but the sun and tropical scenery do nothing to cheer him up.
This collection showcases a diverse array of European folktales featuring strong, resourceful heroines who defy traditional gender roles. The young protagonists are active and courageous, capable of battling giants, solving riddles, and outsmarting evil forces. These tales, often overlooked in earlier compilations, highlight the wit and bravery of women, presenting them as dynamic characters rather than passive figures. Through these stories, readers are introduced to a rich tapestry of female empowerment in folklore.
When two families spend a weekend on an idyllic farm, it becomes increasingly difficult to tell which of the party are adults and which are children. By the author of Love and Friendship, Imaginary Friends, Real People, Foreign Affairs and The Truth About Lorin Jones.
Focusing on the lives of American poet James Merrill and his partner David Jackson, the narrative blends comedy with insightful analysis. It highlights their shared experiences in various locations, including New York and Key West, while delving into Jackson's significant influence on Merrill's acclaimed poem, "The Changing Light at Sandover." The book offers a unique perspective on their relationship and artistic collaboration.
Faculty wife Emily Stockwell Turner is beautiful, rich, and principled. However, five years in a marriage devoid of passion is enough to propel Emmy, despite her principles, into an affair with silver-tongued Will Thomas, a self-confessed libertine. The shocking, unforeseen consequences of their affair shatter Emmy's most cherished delusions about friendship, romance, and the ties that bind.
This is another novel by the author of Foreign Affairs.
Janet Smith, a self-confessed sensitive lady writer, compares Illyria, a luxurious retreat for artists, to heaven when she first arrives. But before long she starts to see its guests as children, madmen and demons, as she makes disturbing discoveries about everyone there - including herself.
In the name of sociological research, two scientists infiltrate the ranks of the Truth Seekers--a rather ridiculous small-town cult whose credo involves sex, spiritualism, and a flying saucer messiah. Exposed to the persuasive energies of a sensuous high priestess, the men of science are forced to question seriously their superstitious belief that they can chart, understand, and control the workings of the human mind.
Jenny has devoted her life to her husband, the famous naturalist Wilkie Walker. But this year, as winter comes on, Wilkie seems distant and depressed. In desperation Jenny persuades him to visit Key West, but the sun and tropical scenery do nothing to cheer him up. As he grows even stranger, Jenny becomes involved with some intriguing local characters including Gerry, an ex-beatnik poet, and Lee, the dramatically attractive manager of a women-only guest house. Wife, secretary, confidante, housekeeper - might Jenny at last break free from her role as Wilkie's support act? WITH A NEW PREFACE FROM ALISON LURIE 'Full of sparkish - indeed Muriel Sparkish - observations and gently subversive wit... Lurie beautifully handles the ecstatic liberation of lesbian love' Independent