Ellen Gilchrist – författare

Enhanced with fifteen new essays, the benchmark of an acclaimed writer's spunk and sense of place Ellen Gilchrist has amassed a nationwide following, and her readers eagerly anticipate each new short story collection and novel. The sassy and moving commentaries she recorded for National Public Radio were a large part of the original kindling for this intense interest. In Falling Through Space the spark that first attracted this audience flashes again in fifty-eight short essays drawn from those enormously successful broadcasts. To update and continue the dialogue she has always maintained with her fans, Gilchrist has added fifteen new essays. Originally published in 1987 by Little, Brown and Company, Falling Through Space provides a funny and intimate diary of a writer's self-discovery. Author of more than a dozen books and winner of the National Book Award, Gilchrist is a beloved and distinctive southern voice whose life and memories are every bit as entertaining as the wild and poignant short stories for which she is famous. The short essays that anchor this book vividly explore the Mississippi plantation life of her childhood; the books, teachers, and artists who influenced her development; and her thoughts about writing and life in general. Coupled with forty-two pictures from Gilchrist's youth and adulthood, these slices of life create a running autobiography. In new essays, originally published in such magazines as Vogue, Outside, New Woman, and the Washington Post Sunday Magazine, Gilchrist reveals her origins, influences, and the way she works when she writes. Required reading for any fan, this book is Ellen Gilchrist at her funniest and best. For her readers it confirms her spontaneity and her talent for finding life at its zaniest and brightest. Ellen Gilchrist is the author of several collections of short stories and novellas including: The Cabal and Other Stories, Flights of Angels, The Age of Miracles, The Courts of Love, In the Land of Dreamy Dreams, Victory Over Japan (winner of the National Book Award), Drunk With Love, and I Cannot Get You Close Enough. She has also written several novels, including The Anna Papers, Net of Jewels, Starcarbon, and Sarah Conley. Her 1994 novel, Anabasis: A Journey to the Interior, was published by University Press of Mississippi. She lives in Fayetteville, Arkansas, and Ocean Springs, Mississippi.

In her 1981 collection of stories, In the Land of Dreamy Dreams, Ellen Gilchrist writes about New Orleans as no other writer. Laced with envy, greed, lust, terror, and self-deceit, her stories will shock and compel readers. Gilchrist's characters, women who dream of independent lives beyond the shadows of their husbands and fathers, resort to outrageous schemes in pursuit of freedom and fulfillment, despite the consequences. The range of emotions and realities encompassed by Gilchrist's work is suggested by the story titles: ""Rich,"" ""There's a Garden of Eden,"" ""The Famous Poll at Jody's Bar,"" ""In the Land of Dreamy Dreams,"" ""Suicides,"" ""1957, a Romance,"" ""Generous Pieces,"" ""Indignities,"" ""Revenge,"" ""Perils of the Nile,"" ""Traveler,"" and ""Summer, an Elegy.

A writer''s suicide sends ripples through the world she left behind: "A wonderful book…moving and tender and tough and unsentimental, all at the same time."—Chicago TribuneAn accomplished author with a string of devoted lovers, Anna Hand savors life in all of its bittersweet, fleeting moments. So when she gets a letter and discovers her brother has a daughter he never knew about, she sees a major part of life that has passed her by: a child to love. Desperate to unite this young girl with her father, Anna moves back to Charlotte, North Carolina, to rediscover her family and convince him to accept her.Caught between the politics of her upper-crust family and love for a married man, Anna finds her health in serious danger. When her bad days catch up with her good ones, she must finally face the disease that had been hiding just beneath the surface. Not willing to resign herself to months of aggressive treatment, and knowing the outcome will be the same regardless, she takes matters into her own hands, and surrenders her body to the sea.But it isn''t only Anna''s death that shocks her family. The papers she left behind may lead her sister Helen to discover more about Anna than she, or any of the Hand family, need to know… "Gilchrist excels in drawing the bonds of love and resentment in sexual and family relationships, and no one who encounters her characters here or in her earlier works will want to miss reading about them again." —Publishers Weekly

"The world Ellen Gilchrist unfolds in her vivid new story collection is rich with intimate exchanges between finely etched characters." —The New York Times Book ReviewEllen Gilchrist proves herself once again to be a master of the intertwining tale in this collection of stories following the lives of different members of a Mississippi social elite, humorously nicknamed "The Cabal."In the novella that inspired the collection''s title, the most powerful person in a room is the one who has been trusted with all of its secrets. This has made psychotherapist, Jim Jaspers'', recent bizarre behavior not just worrying, but terrifying to Jackson, Mississippi''s intellectual elite and what Caroline''s best friend Augustus calls "the cabal". The best psychotherapist for miles, Jim knows everyone''s darkest truths, and, addled after the death of his patient, Jean Lyles, he''ll tell anyone who will listen.The secret inner lives that put an entire community on the hunt for one man in "The Cabal" are deliciously and at times humorously explored in "The Sanguine Blood of Men", "Hearts of Dixie", "The Survival of the Fittest", "Bare Ruined Choirs" and "The Big Clean Up".With a bold cast of characters and surprises at every turn, this is an absolute must-read for fans of Southern literature. Gilchrist has uncanny ability to blend salacious plots with endearing characters.

"A winning collection, filled with humor, love, and just enough human meanness to make things interesting. Gilchrist knows how to tell a story." —KirkusAn indomitable cast of characters comes alive in this collection of shorts and a novella from acclaimed author Ellen Gilchrist.The unsinkable Nora Jane Whittington returns in "Nora Jane and Company," now married and the mother of twins. But when a chance encounter between her husband and an old boyfriend leads to disaster, a pro-life protest turns deadly, and a camping trip proves nearly fatal, she''ll have to survive quite a lot to protect her happy home life.In the short stories that follow, old love affairs are revived, a dog caught in a domestic dispute finds an unlikely new home, and the bonds that tie families are once again explored with the deft hand for which Gilchrist is known."Imbued with wry humor, nostalgia for lost innocence and gratitude for the power of memory to enrich life. Gilchrist''s hand is sure, her vision keen and sometimes antic, and the world she has created in 12 previous books is expanded and enhanced by these luminous tales."—Publishers Weekly

Three intertwining novellas about love, death, and the bonds of blood: "To say that Ellen Gilchrist can write is to say that Placido Domingo can sing."—Jonathan Yardley, The Washington PostJourneying through the lives of different members of the Hand family, Ellen Gilchrist weaves together tumultuous relationships that are bound by blood. A harrowing custody battle leads Anna Hand to Istanbul and back to ensure once and for all that her niece is safe from her conniving mother''s ploys. Jessie, finally free from her mother''s influence, has her life upended when Olivia, the sister she never knew she had, appears at the Hands'' home. Between this and the shocking loss of her aunt, Jessie doesn''t know if her resentment of Olivia comes from their chaotic meeting or something suspicious bubbling just beneath Olivia''s surface.Meanwhile Olivia, the half-Native American child who had never known a normal family, must cope with this new world of high society. Losing Anna, and having a dark and desperate secret exposed, may send her back to Tahlequah—if it doesn''t send her over the edge first.And Anna, leaving a legacy of literature in her wake, may do more harm in death than she ever wanted in life, as her sister enters a vicious fight to recover her lost writing… "Always she takes the long, comic view of her characters'' frailties, for only through the chaos they create, she seems to suggest, do family trees writhe toward the light."—The New York Times "Gilchrist brilliantly captures the intimate accents and rhythms of a family under stress."—Publishers Weekly "A thoroughly engaging work."—Library Journal

“There is not a single dud in this brilliant collection…crisp stories about marriage, blood, booze and death and the wayward passions fomented by them.”—Time Out From joyous moments to near insurmountable grief, National Book Award-winning author Ellen Gilchrist gives readers vignettes revealing the lives of some of her most memorable characters. In “Traceleen at Dawn,” we see the wealthy Miss Crystal finally give up drinking after a fire consumes her home. In “1941,” readers meet Rhoda Manning, a precocious nine-year-old facing off with the world of adults for the first time. In “The Last Diet,” a woman on a diet crashes her car into a doughnut shop. And murder takes center stage in “Memphis” and “The Emancipator.” Coming of age, heartbreak, death, and more permeate these brilliant snapshots of life from the author of the award-winning Victory over Japan, Acts of God, and other acclaimed works. “Smart, funny, moving, and elegantly written.”—Vogue  “A writer with a distinctive voice and a considerable narrative gift.”—Publishers Weekly “There is not a single dud in this brilliant collection. The crisp stories about marriage, blood, booze and death and the wayward passions fomented by them.”—Time Out

From a Southern storyteller and National Book Award–winning author, essays on her childhood, influences, and thoughts on writing and life.Now, with this collection of essays, readers can explore the author of Victory Over Japan throughout her career. From the Mississippi plantation of her childhood to pieces featured in Vogue, Outside, New Woman, and The Washington Post Sunday Magazine, Gilchrist comes alive.With more than forty pictures, essays about Gilchrist''s thoughts on writing, and a peek into the books, teachers, and artists that influenced her work, this is required reading for any fan."This book of "journals" is actually a carefully patterned quilt sewn of the author''s NPR "entries" and a few assorted essays and speeches. Underlaid with a warm, subtle (sometimes precious) humor, these homey reflections on things near and far . . . manage, in their spare manner, to pare down to the deceptively simple truth of things. . . . This volume should provide welcome fare for Gilchrist fans." —Kirkus Reviews

Fiction from a National Book Award-winning author and "short-story writer of substantial gifts and reputation" (The New York Times).  From National Book Award Winner Ellen Gilchrist, a pillar of Southern literature hailed by the Washington Post as "a national treasure," comes a colorful collection of short stories integrating favorite characters with captivating newcomers. Rhoda''s reveling in her childhood and infinite possibility in "The Tree Fort" and "The Time Capsule" is juxtaposed with her darker adulthood in "Mexico." Nora Jane returns alongside Lin Tan Sing, a Chinese medical student and geneticist who predicts the birth of her twins. Fans of Gilchrist won''t want to miss the author''s exploration of the many stages of life—and the lightness and darkness each can bring."Several stories in Gilchrist''s latest collection are distinguished by her old magic—they have energy and gusto and humor, and a dark layer of knowledge beneath their nostalgic tone."—Publishers Weekly "A validation of the author''s skill and versatility. Gilchrist creates new experiences for characters from earlier stories and … creates new characters who reveal her skill in portraying character and place."—Library Journal

A fiction collection, including two new stories, from the award-winning author: "Rhoda is a fully realized creation. And not one to be dismissed lightly."—Entertainment Weekly From Ellen Gilchrist, a National Book Award winner and "national treasure" (The Washington Post), this volume includes twenty-three stories starring Rhoda Manning—"the shining manifestation of Gilchrist''s wry, intelligent, and passionate writing" (Kirkus Review). Follow Rhoda from age eight to age sixty, as she grows from a hot-tempered, impetuous child to a complex, confident adult. Even at a young age, Rhoda loves to get her way, boasting a unique spark that only shines brighter in an adulthood full of sex and excitement. From diet pills to multiple marriages to far-reaching travels and a writing career, Rhoda''s relentless hunger for adventure will delight all who accompany her on her journeys.  "A winner…Rhoda is as real as anyone who has ever ''lived'' in a book."—Library Journal "Rhoda loves to shop, swear and get her own way; she has always been a vivid and indelible character."—Publishers Weekly  "One of the most engaging and surprisingly lovable characters in modern fiction."—Robert Olen Butler

From National Book Award Winner Ellen Gilchrist, a pillar of Southern literature hailed by the Washington Post as "a national treasure," comes a poignant novel about contemporary living and the sacrifices we make through the various stages of our life."Gilchrist keeps you in the palm of her hand when she tells a story." –Kirkus ReviewSarah Conley is a successful journalist and writer, having pursued her career path with tenacious passion. When her best friend Eugenie falls deathly ill, Sarah flies to Nashville for a final visit. While there, Sarah''s love for Jack, Eugenie''s husband, is rekindled, and it''s apparent he feels the same. He follows her to Paris, where she''s traveling to write a screenplay, and she becomes caught between her two wants. Will Sarah have to decide between the needs of her career and the needs of her heart?"The quirky cadences of Gilchrist''s prose and her witty dialogue are present here in abundance." –Publishers Weekly