Joseph ellis deemed schiffs the finest account to date of the witch trials. The author, most recently, of the witches sat behind hilary mantel at a performance of wolf hall. Youre synthesizing massive amounts of raw material, she explai. Audiofile magazine spotlight on author stacy schiff. Nov 01, 2015 its tempting to use historian stacy schiff s revelatory, sumptuously written new book, the witches. Stacy schiff books, ebooks, audiobooks, biography barnes. Stacy schiffs the witches is an intoxicating brew of history. This book was read in conjunction with a book tour for crazy book toursbook was provided by the tour and was mailed back to the tour organizer. Vladimir nabokov, which won the pulitzer prize for biography in 2000, and saintexupery. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize and the ambassador book award. Schiff, born in adams, massachusetts, is a graduate of phillips academy andover preparatory school, and earned her b.
This book, which takes readers on a scientific and cultural tour of the human body, is so riveting and. It sounds too cutesy, like everything is an inside joke, not like a a nonfiction book at all. An ardent, intellectual affair, nprs you must read this january 2011 indelible portraits of womens lives, the wall street journal december 2010. A biography, which was a finalist for the 1995 pulitzer prize. Dec 09, 2010 what makes schiffs book stand out is its almost deliberate antischolarliness though it is scrupulously referenced. Pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiff discusses her book, the witches.
As in her pulitzer prizewinning biography of cleopatra, schiff excels at finding fresh angles on familiar stories. Guests stacy schiff author of vera, winner of the pulitzer prize. All of schiff s books demonstrate her rigor as a historian and her dexterity as a stylist. Stacy schiff speakers bureau and booking agent info. I read in deep, hungry gulps when i wasnt boycotting books. Stacy schiff is an author with videos in the cspan video library. A life by stacy schiff a new and important biography of the misunderstood final queen of egypt.
The witches by stacy schiff i think i would like this book, but i do not like the audiobook. Stacy schiff penetrates an ancient thicket of personalities and propaganda to reconstruct the macedonianegyptian queen cleopatra in all her. Salem, 1692, which the new york times hailed as an almost novelistic, thrillerlike narrative. Part of that is that i have read so many books on cleopatra. The salem witch trials offer stacy schiff an outsized drama that seized americans imaginations more than 300 years ago. I walked those ebony doors and onyx floors with her as she painted the scenes and expounded the tricky customs, laws and rhetoric that shaped cleopatras formative years. Also this book is difficult to get intoat least at.
Its not just beautiful, schiff points out with satisfaction, but historically accurate. A life i found this book to be good but not exceptional. Pulitzer prizewinning author stacy schiff has said to set the gold standard for all biographers. Growing up in salem, massachusetts, my first job aged 14 not including a stint as a diminutive paper girl was to serve as a tour guide at the witch house, home to jonathan corwin, one of the witchcraft. I wont finish listening to it, as i dont want the audiobook to ruin the book for me. Schiff has also published the books a great improvisation, cleopatra. Given her obstacles, i think she did the best she could.
Schiff, currently on book tour, is also author of the nonfiction bestseller cleopatra, which entered usa today s list at no. Quotations by stacy schiff, american author, born october 26, 1961. Stacy schiff, author of the witches, a brilliant, exceptionally wellresearched account of the 1692 salem witch trials, says her number one requirement when writing her prizewinning nonfiction books is a big desk, an enormous desk. Stacy schiff joins us in the studio to talk about one of the most interesting but maligned women in history. Vladimir nabokov, which won the 2000 pulitzer prize for biography. The last word cocktail, or widow jane bourbon, neat. The princess bride, william goldman favorite drink. Vladimir nabokov, which won the 2000 pulitzer prize for biography, and saintexupery.
Vladimir nabokov, won the pulitzer prize in biography in 2000, while her book saintexupery was a pulitzer prize finalist. We know cleopatra wove pearlsthe diamonds of her daythrough her hair and around her neck. Sarah ruden, the wall street journal stacy schiff is the author of vera mrs. Nov 01, 2010 a pulitzer prizewinning biographer presents a swift, sympathetic life of one of historys most maligned and legendary women. She puts you there and shows you with both eloquence and care. Stacy schiffs cleopatra proves that she was a steely master of realpolitik at home, in war, and grand strategy, says. She earned her degree from williams college in 1982. From intelligent rule to hysteria, mayhem, and murder. Stacy madeleine schiff born october 26, 1961 is an american former editor, essayist, and. David mccullough declared the book brilliant from start to finish. Detecting witches was a preoccupation among the early colonists in.
Salem, 1692, about her book, and the themes that are relevant today on november 10, 2015 at the fitzgerald. Salem,1692, as yet another occasion to apply american historys favorite metaphor. Author interview stacy schiff, author of the witches. A life, winner of the penjacqueline bograd weld award for biography. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation, the.
Stacy schiff simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Much of the real procedure has been lost, letting us only speculate as to the true nature of this delirious period of history. Sep, 2011 in a masterly return to the classical sources, stacy schiff boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order. Ive written about hypatia, the lady philosopher of alexandria. Empress galla placidia and her niece pulcheria who both ruled rome in its waning days. Stacy schiff doesnt just tell you, history book style, how the ancients behaved. Oct 25, 2015 the author, most recently, of the witches sat behind hilary mantel at a performance of wolf hall. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation and the national endowment for the humanities and an.
David mccullough the witches is the fullest and finest story ever told about salem in 1692, and no one else could tell it with the otherworldly flair of stacy schiff. This page is maintained by little, brown and company. In a masterly return to the classical sources, stacy schiff boldly separates fact from fiction to rescue the magnetic queen whose death ushered in a new world order. My favorite is i cleopatra which was published in the seventies and i really look to that book as being the gold standard of all things cleopatra.
An interview with stacy schiff penn state university. One sevenyearold girl announced that she had been a. Salem, 1692 at the 2016 library of congress book festival in washington, d. A pulitzer prizewinner, stacy schiff is the author most recently of the witches. The titles of her backlist tumbled out half intelligibly, one on top of the other.
Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize. Share stacy schiff quotations about books and libraries. In the end, i feel that schiffs the witches is a weak narrative saved by its historical significance. Stacy schiff when finally i mustered the courage to tell. Stacy madeleine schiff born october 26, 1961 is an american nonfiction author residing in new york. Stacy schiff is the author of a great improvisation and vera mrs. Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize and other prestigious awards. In addition to the venerated position of pub crawl guide, marissa levien also works as an artist, a writer, and. This book also applies to the following reading challenges. You can read an excerpt and visit stacy schiffs website to see if her book tour is coming your way. With her new book, the witches, stacy schiff seems to have wanted to strip away the metaphors and go back to the original story of salem.
Posted by stacy schiff 2 weeks, 2 days ago a great loss to the world of biography. A life, by hermione lee, new york times november 2014 voltaire in love. Schiff adores her new books attractive jacket, which depicts a darkhaired, vibrantly dressed cleopatra, pearls in her hair, turned from the viewer. Stacy schiff books list of books by author stacy schiff. She has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation and the national endowment for the humanities. Vladimir nabokov, stacy schiff revealed a woman who was more creative. Interview with stacy schiff on her book, the witches.
An interview with stacy schiff by suellen stringerhye the main question concerning literary biography is, surely, why do we need it at all. Stacy madeleine schiff born october 26, 1961 is an american former editor, essayist, and author of five biographies. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. She gives us a minutely detailed chronicle of nine. It began in 1692, over an exceptionally raw massachusetts.
Ellis, pulitzer prizewinning author of the quartet this book needs a seat belt. A life by schiff, stacy and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. An interesting thing about book groups, it seems to me, is that there is no correlation between a brilliant book and a brilliant discussion. Stacy schiff, author official website the witches now. Schiff will give a public address followed by a book signing.
Saintexupery, a pulitzer prize finalist and a great improvisation. Stacy schiff is the author of five best selling an highly acclaimed biographies. Nov 04, 2015 schiff, currently on book tour, is also author of the nonfiction bestseller cleopatra, which entered usa today s list at no. Stacy schiff will discuss her new book and answer audience questions. This question can doubly be asked with regard to the literary biographies of writers wives. Youre synthesizing massive amounts of raw material, she explains during a call to her home just north of the grand, beaux. Stacy schiff audio books, best sellers, author bio. New yorker contributor schiff a great improvisation. Stacy schiff an the awardwinning author of several books including vera. This book, which takes readers on a scientific and cultural tour of the human body, is so riveting and provocative that ive bought copies for dozens of.
Franklin, france, and the birth of america, winner of the george washington book prize, the ambassador award in american studies, and the gilbert chinard prize of the institut francais damerique. Schwarzman building, celeste bartos forum new york, ny. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing stacy schiffs cleopatra. Schiff has received fellowships from the guggenheim foundation and the national endowment for. Joseph ellis deemed schiff s the finest account to date of the witch trials.
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