Colum McCann on journeys of inspiration, his intensive research process, and his new novel. The annoying writerly adage says to write what you know. Great – if you possess a particular passion for accessing the extraordinary in the humdrum. Terrific – if your past is rich with enough adventure or incident to provide a lifetime of inspiration. But what if it isn’t? This is … [Read more...] about Colum McCann: Write What You Want to Know
Writers and Poets
Mary Lavin’s American Roots
In the male-dominated field of Irish writers, Mary Lavin was a pioneer. Daphne Wolf examines Lavin’s American roots and the influence they may have had on her work and spirit. Cleaning out old books from my parents’ house, I salvaged a yellowed paperback titled Irish Short Stories and Tales (with a price tag of 35¢). Inside were stories by James Joyce, George Bernard Shaw, … [Read more...] about Mary Lavin’s American Roots
An Evening for Maeve
By Patricia Harty, Editor-in-Chief, April 5, 2013
Friends, writers, publishers and fans gathered at Glucksman Ireland House for an evening of remembering Maeve Binchy. Random House and Maeve Binchy's publisher/editor, Carole Baron hosted a tribute to the Irish writer on Thursday evening, April 4 at Glucksman Ireland House at NYU. It was a fun night, full of laughter and stories – a fitting celebration of the life of the … [Read more...] about An Evening for Maeve
“TransAtlantic,” by
Colum McCann
An excerpt adapted from Colum McCann's novel, TransAtlantic.
Colum McCann won the National Book Award in 2012 for Let the Great World Spin, which through an extraordinary feat of storytelling connects a disparate group of ordinary New Yorkers to Philippe Petit’s 1974 tightrope walk between the Twin Towers. His novel TransAtlantic is another tour de force: a series of … [Read more...] about “TransAtlantic,” by
Colum McCann
“TransAtlantic,” by Colum McCann
An excerpt adapted from Colum McCann's novel, TransAtlantic. ℘℘℘ Colum McCann won the National Book Award in 2012 for Let the Great World Spin, which through an extraordinary feat of storytelling connects a disparate group of ordinary New Yorkers to Philippe Petit’s 1974 tightrope walk between the Twin Towers. His novel TransAtlantic is another tour de force: a series of … [Read more...] about “TransAtlantic,” by Colum McCann