Author: Anita Miller
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BOOK GROUPIE: ‘Maple Stories’ a glimpse into Updike’s legacy
John Updike, a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize for fiction, has long been recognized as a great and prolific American novelist. Before his death in 2009, he wrote dozens of novels and short-story collections. His progression as a writer can be analyzed and appreciated by reading my favorite of his collections, “The Maples Stories.”Updike…
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BOOK GROUPIE: Mysterious Miles piques interest in literary novel
Fiction for adults can be separated into two distinct worlds: literary and popular.Literary fiction explores characters in depth. It’s not unusual for literary authors to write pages of character description, both physical and psychological. Literary fiction is often complex and multi-layered. While these books have a plot, the emphasis is on character more than story.Popular…
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BOOK GROUPIE: Hector shares lessons from world-wide search for happiness
François Lelord practices psychiatry and has co-authored several best-selling self-help books. It’s no wonder his novel “Hector and the Search for Happiness” reads like nonfiction.The story begins with the title character feeling unsatisfied. Hector is a young psychiatrist with a thriving practice, but while his appointment book is full, his life is empty. And he…
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BOOK GROUPIE: Young man hides out in Thailand in ‘Cross Currents’
It is a particular pleasure to highlight Colorado authors and to follow their careers in this column. More than a year ago, I wrote about Boulderite John Shors’ novel “Dragon House.” Column readers responded positively to the book, and I’ve been eager to recommend Shors’ latest work, “Cross Currents.”But I’m not the only one eager…
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BOOK GROUPIE: ‘Spy’ may be memorable, but everyone needs some help
About a year ago, I recommended a book in this column by author Ted Bell. The book features a spy named Alex Hawke, and is appropriately titled “Spy.”It is one of a six-title series that features Hawke. While there are moments when the series feels a bit forced — Hawke has lost both parents, two…
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‘The Ruins’ will creep you out and keep you up at night
I should have known. Stephen King recommended the book on the back cover, so it had to be scary. Still, Scott Smith’s “The Ruins” surprised me with just how creepy it got. The book begins quietly enough. Two young American couples vacation in Mexico. They bask in the sun, drink too much and make friends…
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BOOK GROUPIE: Berg’s characters are like old friends
Some authors have the uncanny ability to create characters I feel like I’ve met. Elizabeth Berg is one such author. Her “Once Upon a Time, There Was You,” includes a well-rounded cast of characters I could’ve gone to school with or worked with for years. I feel like I know them, and am genuinely interested…
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BOOK GROUPIE: Berg’s characters are like old friends
Some authors have the uncanny ability to create characters I feel like I’ve met. Elizabeth Berg is one such author. Her “Once Upon a Time, There Was You,” includes a well-rounded cast of characters I could’ve gone to school with or worked with for years. I feel like I know them, and am genuinely interested…
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BOOK GROUPIE: Unpleasant protagonist a hoot
To write a funny book with an unfriendly main character is risky business. Most people want to read about characters they’d go out to dinner with or invite to a party, not ones they’d move across town to avoid.The last book I read with an unappealing main character was John Kennedy Toole’s “A Confederacy of…
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BOOK GROUPIE: Book takes teens into pitching dreams
Recently, I had the honor of attending the Pikes Peak Region Battle of the Books competition at Colorado College. More than 600 fifth graders participated in the event, with teams from 82 schools. For most of a day, the kids answered comprehension questions about 40 books in a game show-style format. They were given the…