Curtis sittenfeld s novel american wife, written 10 years ago, is loosely based on a former first ladys story, and couldnt be more relevant today. She is a graduate of stanford university and the iowa writers workshop, and was the 20022003 writer in residence at st. It is believed that the book is based on the life of laura bush who is the wife to the former president bush. Curtis sittenfeld is the author of the bestselling novels prep and the man of my dreams, which are being translated into twentyfive languages. In fact, its closely and obviously based on george jr. The man of my dreams, a comingofage novel and an examination of romantic love.
Elizabeth curtis sittenfeld born 1975 is an american writer. Discretion, speak of the devil, and a good killing follow in that order. The american wife of sittenfelds new novel, conspicuously. Bushs wife, laura, which is why theres been a lot of prepublication buzz, and why it will be interesting to see what the. Her nonfiction has appeared in the new york times, the atlantic monthly, salon, allure, glamour, and on public radios this american life.
Author interview curtis sittenfeld, author of american wife. A novel by curtis sittenfeld and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. American writer curtis sittenfeld has authored five novels. Prep, the man of my dreams, sisterland, eligable, and american wife, which offers a fictionalized story based on former first lady laura bush, though she will not be writing a fictionalized story based on the current first lady. A novel random house readers circle by curtis sittenfeld and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Author curtis sittenfeld writes at the begining of this novel that. American wife by curtis sittenfeld call me ishmael. In her small wisconsin hometown she learns the virtues of politeness, but a tragic accident when she is seventeen shatters her. Even before the books release this month, author curtis sittenfeld already had garnered major buzz in the blogosphere. The young heroines of curtis sittenfelds previous novels prep and the man of my. Praise for american wife curtis sittenfeld is an amazing writer, and american wife is a brave and moving novel about the intersection of private and public life in america. Joyce carol oatesis the author, most recently, of the novel my sister, my. Their time in the white house proves to be heady, tumultuous, and controversial.
By the book july 11, 20 the author of prep and sisterland compares her interest in books about time management and decluttering to a person who weighs 700. Sittenfeld is the author of five novels, including prep and american wife. American wife by curtis sittenfeld 9780552775540 dymocks. Bushs courtship and rise to the top of american politics. Todays deals your gift cards help whole foods registry sell disability customer support. Her sunday times bestselling novel american wife was longlisted for the orange prize, as was her debut novel prep. Curtis sittenfeld pulls no punches in her scathing and hilarious indictments of the american middle classes.
The wife in question is laura bush, and it was curtis sittenfelds inspired idea to cast. American wife is the story of alice blackwell, an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances when she becomes first lady. Curtis sittenfeld reads the prairie wife the new yorker. Curtis sittenfeld reads her story gender studies, from the august 29, 2016, issue of the magazine. American wife, by curtis sittenfeld the independent. Her other books include the man of my dreams, sisterland, eligible, the acclaimed short story collection you think it, ill say it and her latest novel rodham.
American wife is a gorgeously written novel that weaves class, wealth, race, and the exigencies of fate into a brilliant tapestrya novel in which the unexpected becomes inevitable, and the pleasures and pain of. Curtis won the seventeen magazine fiction writing contest in 1992, at age sixteen, and since then. Curtis sittenfeld is one of the uss finest novelists feted for american wife, a novel that gazumped laura bushs own life story. American wife is yet another book by curtis sittenfeld which is a worldwide accepted bestseller. I was uneasy about the authors real opinion of alice. The life and choices of laura bush 2004, is a fictitious first lady named alice blackwell, nee lindgren, a wisconsinborn former grade school teacher and librarian who comes belatedly to. American wife by curtis sittenfelda strong stomach is needed for this memoir by a us first lady with a strong resemblance to laura bush, says stephanie merritt.
The theme that unites these stories is how even the cleverest people tend to misread others, and how much we all deceive ourselves. Curtis sittenfeld is a novelist, writer, new york times bestselling author. Boldmere house, faraday avenue, hams hall distribution park, coleshill, birmingham. Curtis sittenfeld books list of books by author curtis. American wife by curtis sittenfeld, paperback barnes. While american wife is technically a work of fiction, it is a thinly veiled account of laura and george w. A kind, bookish only child born in the 1940s, alice lindgren has no idea that she will one day end up in. The epic yet intimate story of an ordinary woman thrust into extraordinary circumstances when she becomes first lady. Other than her novels, curtis has written several nonfiction pieces which have been featured in the atlantic monthly, salon, slate, the new york times and glamour to name but a few. It is that fantasy that gives the edge to american wife, the novelist curtis sittenfelds imaginative reconstruction of the life of laura welch bush. Sittenfeld, 37, is a graduate of stanford and the iowa writers workshop.
American wife hardcover january 1, 2008 by curtis sittenfeld author. The law of attraction was her first book, and its popularity hit the ground running just after a few months after it was published. A kind, bookish only child born in the 1940s, alice lindgren has no idea that she will one day end up in the white house, married to the president. I found instead a forensic examination of a womans psyche.
In alice blackwell, new york times bestselling author curtis sittenfeld has created her most dynamic and complex heroine yet. Curtis sittenfeld is the author of the new novel eligible, a modern retelling of pride and prejudice due out april 2016 as well as the bestselling novels sisterland, american wife, prep, and the man of my dreams, which have been translated into twentyfive languages. American wife by curtis sittenfeld book club discussion. Curtis sittenfeld is the author of the man of my dreams and prep, which was chosen by the new york times as one of the ten best books of 2005. But it is alices own story that of a kind, bookish, only child born in the 1940s midwest who comes to inhabit a life of dizzying wealth and power that is itself remarkable. The wife of a funloving, doesnt take himself too seriously son of a prominent, wealthy family, becomes the president of the united states.
She is the author of a collection of short stories as well as five novels. And although it does move slowly, american wife is far from static. Preorder sittenfelds gripping new novel, rodham, out this summer a dazzling, smart and razorsharp story collection by curtis sittenfeld, sunday times bestselling author of eligible and american wife. Curtis sittenfeld is the new york times bestselling author of the novels prep, the man of my dreams, american wife, sisterland, and eligible, and the story collection you think it, ill say it, which have been translated into thirty languages.
I was not aware until completing this novel that author curtis sittenfeld is a woman. Curtis sittenfeld, author of eligible, on 5 romantic. Now with her second novel, the man of my dreams, she continues to exhibit just why so. Discover book depositorys huge selection of curtis sittenfeld books online. Her writing has also appeared in a number of publications, including the new york times, the washington post, glamour, and the atlantic monthly. In the involving, richly imagined first section of the book, set in wisconsin rather than texas, narrator alice spends. An insightful, achingly funny comingofage story as well as a brilliant dissection of class, race, and gender in a hothouse of adolescent angst and ambition. American wife by curtis sittenfeldin alice blackwell, new york times bestselling author curtis sittenfeld has created her most dynamic and complex heroine yet. To ask other readers questions about american wife, please sign up. Curtis sittenfeld on translating jane austen in the age of.
Prep also was chosen as one of the ten best books of 2005 by the new york times, nominated for the uks orange prize, and optioned by paramount pictures. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Curtis sittenfeld reads gender studies the new yorker. American wife, a fictional story loosely based on the life of first lady laura bush. It must take guts and a fair amount of gall to write a book like american wife. In the year 2000, in the closest election in american history, alice blackwells husband becomes president of the united states. Telling the story of how a woman moves from being a mere librarian to america s first lady, this is an intriguing story. New york times bestseller wonderfully tender and hilariously funny, eligible tackles gender, class, courtship, and family as curtis sittenfeld reaffirms herself as one of the most dazzling authors writing today. Registered in england 06557400, company vat number 5 5978 79. I began american wife expecting a sharp political satire. Curtiss writing has appeared in many publications, including the atlantic, the new york times, vanity fair,time, slate. Curtis sittenfeld is an american author of five novels, prep, the man of my dreams, american wife, sisterland and eligible, and a short story collection you think it, ill say it. American wife is most engaging in its early chapters, when alice lindgren isnt yet alice blackwell but an insecure young woman, haunted by the memory of the beautiful boy shed accidentally killed as a girl yet dedicated to teaching and to a life defined by books. Conspicuously timed for the presidential changeover, curtis.
This explains the focus on the bonds between women in this book. Curtis sittenfeld is the author of the acclaimed, bestselling novel prep, which chronicles a young teen s experiences at a new england boarding school. All those little triumphs and tragedies that make up a person. Buy a cheap copy of american wife book by curtis sittenfeld. T wo mysteries hover over curtis sittenfelds timely third novel, american wife, a fictional memoir by a 21stcentury first lady that was rushed out in the us to coincide with the republican. In her new charmer of a novel, eligible, the always smartly entertaining curtis sittenfeld author of prep and american wife rises to the challenge of cleverly updating jane austens beloved. American wife is a work of fiction loosely inspired by the life of an american first lady.
We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. Her short stories have appeared in the new yorker, the washington post magazine, esquire, and the best american short stories, of which she was the. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders. An elementaryschool librarian marries the least promising son of an oldmoneyed, intensely competitive republican family and sticks by him as he rises from harddrinking fool to unpopular u. Curtis sittenfeld is the new york times bestselling author of the novels prep, the man of my dreams, american wife, sisterland, and eligible. Louis with her husband and two children, ages 2 and 4, devours a.
American wife was chosen to be among the ten best books of 2008 by people, entertainment weekly and time. Curtis sittenfeld, the author of eligible, discusses her new books relationship to pride and prejudice, how 1800s england is similar to modernday cincinnati, and the bachelor. American wife by curtis sittenfeld contemporary fiction. In her small wisconsin hometown she learns the virtues of politeness, but a tragic accident when she is seventeen shatters her identity and changes the trajectory of her life. And in a twist that is about as unlikely as the liberal sittenfeld making her bookstore order for spoken from the heart it is a fictionalised. A strong stomach is needed for this memoir by a us first lady with a strong. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Curtis sittenfeld reads the prairie wife, her short story in this weeks issue of the new yorker, about a woman obsessed with a socialmedia celebrity.