Showing results for "Obsession" in Literary History & Criticism

In this poignant collection, Alice Bolin examines iconic American works from the essays of Joan Didion and James Baldwin to Twin Peaks, Britney Spears, and Serial, illuminating the widespread obsession with women who are abused, killed, and disenfranchised, and whose bodies (dead and alive) are used as props to bolster men’s stories. Smart and accessible, thoughtful and heartfelt, Bolin investigates the implications of our cultural fixations, and her own role as a consumer and creator.

Part literary mystery, part an examination of what constitutes fiction versus reality, "Ghostwriter" is based on the true story of author Lawrence Wells, then 45, hired by the University of Mississippi in 1987 to ghostwrite a novel for a wealthy, eccentric donor (“Mrs. F,” then 75), who was convinced that Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, was William Shakespeare.

"Why do we write?" With this question Joyce Carol Oates, in this new collection of seminal essays and criticism, begins an imaginative exploration of the writing life and all its attendant anxieties, joys, and futilities. Leading her quest is a desire to understand the source of the writer's inspiration - do subjects haunt those who might bring them back to life until the writer submits? Or does something "happen" to us, a sudden ignition of a burning flame? Can the appearance of a muse-like Other bring about a writer's best work?

Indulge in your secret obsession by joining Cherish Lively as she reads thrillers and spicy romance that will get your heart pounding with chills and thrills.

Got an all-consuming obsession you NEED to talk about? We know the feeling. With fun little drinks in hand, join best friends RiLee & Sam as we discuss our recent fixations and long-term obsessions every Tuesday. We'll talk pop culture, music (primarily Taylor Swift), and a new book each month! Join us and follow our Instagram @thegreatobsessionpod to share your input on what we should read next!