Francine Prose crafts narratives that delve into the complexities of human relationships and the nuances of moral choices. Her prose is marked by its precise language, keen psychological insight, and an ability to capture subtle emotional textures. Prose is recognized for her unflinching observation of society and a profound interest in how literature shapes our understanding of the world. Her distinctive style, characterized by elegance and intellectual depth, invites readers to contemplate the very essence of the human experience.
Set against the backdrop of the 1970s, this memoir explores the disillusionment of American youth as they confront the fading hopes of the previous decade. Through a blend of sharp intelligence and irony, Francine Prose recounts her emotional and artistic development, offering insights into the political climate of the time. The narrative balances rigor with unexpected poignancy, making it a compelling reflection on the challenges of growing up amid shifting societal ideals.
A feminist reinterpretation of the myths surrounding Cleopatra casts new light on the Egyptian queen and her legacy
An essay by Xavier F. Salomon, Frick Curator, paired with a contribution by author Francine Prose bring to life one of Titian's most personal and revealing portraits. Author of lives of saints, scurrilous verses, comedies, tragedies, and innumerable letters, Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) attained considerable wealth and influence, in part through literary flattery and blackmail. Little is known of his early years, but by 1527 he had settled permanently in Venice. Among Aretino’s friends and patrons were some of the most prominent figures of his time, several of whom gave him gold chains such as the one he wears in this portrait. He was on intimate terms with Titian, who painted at least three portraits of him. Here the artist conveys his friend’s intellectual power through the keen, forceful head and his worldliness through the solid, weighty mass of the richly robed figure.
1953. Simon Putnam, newly hired by a distinguished New York publishing firm, gets his first assignment: editing The Vixen, the Patriot and the Fanatic, a lurid bodice-ripper improbably based on the recent trial and execution of Ethel and Julius Rosenberg. It is a potboiler intended to shore up the firm's failing finances. Simon's mother was a childhood friend of Ethel Rosenberg's; his parents mourn Ethel's death. Simon meets The Vixen author, reckless, seductive Anya Partridge, ensconced in her opium-scented boudoir in a luxury Hudson River mental asylum. Simon comes to realize that everyone is not what they seem, that everyone is keeping secrets, and that ordinary events may conceal a diabolical plot. -- adapted from jacket
A biography of one of twentieth century America's most influential patrons of the arts that covers her personal life, uncompromising spirit, and relationships with such modern masters as Jackson Pollock and Man Ray.
Ein meisterhafter Roman über die Macht des Bösen und die unvorhersehbaren Konsequenzen der Liebe Sie war Wettkampfsportlerin und erfolgreiche Rennfahrerin. Später arbeitete sie in einem Pariser Transvestitenclub. Sie trug Männerkleidung und liebte Frauen. Sie verriet ihr Land an die Deutschen und arbeitete unter der Besatzung für die Gestapo. Basierend auf einer wahren Biografie entwirft Francine Prose die faszinierende Lebensgeschichte von Lou Villars, die auf der Suche nach Liebe und Anerkennung immer tiefer in einen Strudel aus Gewalt und Tod gerät. Der vielstimmige Roman lässt die spannungsreiche Vorkriegsepoche und die Zeit des Zweiten Weltkriegs lebendig werden. Francine Prose erzählt von Liebe und Kunst, von Krieg und Spionage, von Verführung und Verrat – und wie Geschichte sich verändert, abhängig davon, wer sie erzählt.
Contains primary source material. A biography of one of twentieth century America's most influential patrons of the arts that covers her personal life, uncompromising spirit, and relationships with such modern masters as Jackson Pollock and Man Ray.
While working for an idealistic college professor, twenty-six-year old Lula, an Albanian trying to make a better life for herself in America, finds her life taking a complicated turn when her Albanian "brothers" return, in a novel set in the aftermath of 9/11
