"Julia": A story in Pentimento by Lillian Hellman Pentimento is a wonderful memoir of recollections written by Lilliam Hellman (1905-1984), the famous playwright and screenwriter. Each story has a lazy, lyrical quality with characters drawn from her past, including long-time companion Dashiel Hammett (of Maltese Falcon fame). The
I recently re-read this little gem, a small segment from Titus Groan, the first volume of the Gormenghast Trilogy written by Mervyn Peake in 1946. It's an odd fantasy and the plot is hard to describe succinctly. I've always loved the book (only the first one,
Is it nature or is it nurture? The author of this cult classic (book, then play, then 1955 movie) definitely believes it's nature all the way. Rhoda Penmark is the perfect child, lovely to look at, smart, quick, mature beyond her 8 years, dedicated to her studies — who
Can you like a book yet hate the protagonist and everything he stands (or in this case, slouches) for?