Anne Tyler Books

The story of Tumble Tower is hardly throw-away - Princess Molly the Messy is almost despised by her family: King Clement the Clean, Queen Nellie the Neat, and Prince Thomas the Tidy. Molly lives in the castle tower, where her room is beyond what most would considered "a bit cluttered." However, as we soon discover after the rest of the castle is flooded, even the messiest of rooms can be considered a safe, even comfortable haven. Seeing life through Molly's eyes gives the rest of her family a sense of understanding, perhaps even empathy.

While Anne Tyler's story is very nice, I found the illustrations to be far more engaging. There are hidden surprises in almost every page, and the characters are wittily, handsomely, and endearingly brought to life in a style that almost resembles the Saturday morning series "Angela Anaconda."

The kids will love having this book read to them again and again, and there's enough treasures spread throughout to make the parents most happy to oblige.

I am an adult who never liked picture books as a child (I fell in love with reading in fourth grade, when I finally had the vocabulary and comprehension skills to read the more appealing "Chapter" books). I came to this book because Tyler is one of my favorite contemporary novelists, and even though I love tons of other novelists both present and past, sometimes I just can't wait for Tyler's latest to hit the stores. So, I read her children's book, and I was enchanted. The story is great, the pictures are charming, but what I liked best was the book's "Child is father of man" philosophy. Modarressi, who happens to be Tyler's daughter, has written and illustrated a number of other books: don't miss "Yard Sale!" and "The Parent Thief" and even the weaker "The Dream Pillow" is worth a look-see.

Although an avid Anne Tyler fan, I just discovered this book she wrote for children and I now number it among my favorites. I find it perfectly charming to see childhood "messiness" vindicated. My grandchildren (ages 8 to 13) thoroughly enjoy the book, too. I can tell they relate to "Messy Molly," although maintaining that their own bedrooms are never as messy as the wonderful two-page spread of Molly's room.

Can you imagine a children's book about messiness which does not end with the character discovering the error of her ways and (literally and figuratively) straightening up? Instead, Molly's free-spirited approach to storing her personal possessions is celebrated. Molly, her friends, and the family pets revel in the glorious mess, and even her uptight parents and little brother come to see the advantages of disorder. A highlight is a wordless double-page spread showing Molly's room in all its splendour. Ask your child to locate different objects, a la the "I Spy" books.

This book is the perfect vidication for those of us who are hopelessly sloppy. How can we contend with the celebrated neatness of this person or that person? How can we explain that there is indeed a method to our madness? We are messy for a reason! Anne Tyler does a wonderful job championing our cause and Mitra Modarressi's illustrations are perfect to keep children rivited. I read this to my friend's 7-year old, and I finally had a valid explanation for why there are "so many things on my bedroom floor."

I bought Best of the South a few years ago and have returned to it for rereads many times. Writers from the American south really do seem to have a corner on the market when it comes to character development. Anne Tyler does an extraordinary job of picking the stories for this volume. You won't be disappointed. My favorite is the lively, poignant story by Mark Richards entitled "The Birds for Christmas". "Heart" by Marly Swick is another sketch from a child's point of view that packs a punch. All the stories are excellent, but for me the anthology is worth the price just to be able to read about the two boys in the hospital who want to see "The Birds" on Christmas Eve on the ward's old rickety TV set, to the horror of the nurses. This anthology is filled with literary excellence, characters that jump off the page and into one's heart, and profound, painful moments that hold an unexpected mirror up before the reader, all told in the unforgettable flavor of the American south.

The very first story in the collection by Leon Driskell was delicious and perfect. As I read on I could not believe that, one after another, the choices that make this book are equal to the first one. As a regular reader of the Houghton-Mifflin Best American Short Stories annual, I have come to accept that what makes a great collection is a great editor. If you want to see what I mean, look at Anne Beattie's volume, or John Updike's, or John Gardner's; these editors know what makes a story great. The same is true of Anne Tyler, and in each of these stories we see what makes her writing remarkable: development of engaging characters. The primary focus in all of these stories is on character, but you will also find that these stories appeal to us on a human interest level and as lovers of writing. If you are interested in reading and/or writing good fiction, this is a book to read.

I love this book and I find myself dipping back into it over and over for some favorites ("Charlotte" by Tony Earley is a classic). I took the book on my honeymoon and it is part of the reason why I remember that as such a wonderful time. There really is something here for everybody: memorable characters, quiet and not-so-quiet human drama, and -- that gorgeous language! A must-have for fans of Southern fiction.

This is the best collection of short stories I've read in recent memory. Two favorites are "The Birds for Christmas," by Mark Richard and "The Rain of Terror" by Frank Manley, but almost all typify the finest in short story writing today.

As a young writer, Janet Sternburg searched for a book about woman writers: how they came to be, how they viewed their lives, how they treated their work. It was the seventies and none existed, so she put together The Writer on Her Work and it was published in 1981 - a book featuring women writing about writing. This year marks its anniversary (thus, the new edition) with a touching preface by Julia Alvarez, plus an updated introduction and bios of the 17 women who contributed to the landmark collection. Established, unknown and up-and-coming writers of the time - including Maxine Hong Kingston, Joan Didion and Alice Walker - reflect on writing and lives as writers, through heartfelt and sometimes hilarious commentary. The value of this book is reading how these women, writing in different genres, pursued their passion in the face of opposition. Whether that opposition took on the form of household responsibilities, writer's block, dissenting peers or a male-dominated marketplace, it's interesting tackling the dilemma through their eyes and in that time; making a place for themselves, and their work, discovering in that world, she dominates. This speaks to the heart of the book, a community of women's voices, whether alive or deceased, writing because they had to, sharing profound experiences and reflections on being a woman creating. The Writer on Her Work offers diverse personalities expressing their romance with words, also acknowledging the ups and downs that come with that relationship. Each essay is an inspiring testament to the continuing struggle and undeniable beauty of the female spirit in print.

I've loved this book since 1980, when I bought a copy and read it and lent it and recommended it many times over since then. This new edition is even better. The pieces, personal and trenchant, ingeniously selected by Sternburg over twenty years ago, have withstood the test of time.

There is deep feeling, variety, astonishing articulation of complex things, and warmth and humor in these essays. Many of the writers fight to write, and show us their battle plans. It's inspiring and encouraging, and sometimes it's sad. Some - I am thinking of young writer Michele Murray, who struggled against terrible odds - are heartbreaking. Anne Tyler's darkly humorous recitation of her typical working day, "Still Just Writing," is a classic. Alice Walker's essay, "One Child of One's Own" speaks to motherhood, and its fragile but undeniable relationship to a writing life.

The new Preface, by Dominican-born Vermonter Julia Alvarez, is touching and insightful and very personal - in keeping with the rest of the book - and speaks to the concerns of the essays. Sternberg has also edited her orignal Introduction, and updated the contributors' notes at the book's end.

Without question I'd recommend this wonderful book to anyone interested in reading women on the process of writing, the art of memoir, and the considered and considerably interesting opinions of a group of very wonderful writers.

"What seems like accident becomes tinged with purpose, the comfortably familiar disturbed by the impulse to escape. Only Anne Tyler with her original view could make Leary irresistible, and produce SO LOVELY AND SINGULAR A STORY." (Reviews for Readers)
[from the piece of paper on the back case]

Anne Tyler is a perceptive writer with an original, slightly off-kilter style. This book includes a chapter of biographical material on Anne Tyler, as well as another chapter discussing the major influences on her--other Southern writers and women writers. There is an extensive discussion of several of her best novels, from the beginning of her career through 1998. Each novel gets a whole chapter devoted to it. Stylistic peculiarities, construction of the novels, character development and theme are covered, with unique insights into how each novel reflects themes in Anne Tyler's life. Tyler shunned publicity and gave very few interviews, but did consent to an interview with the author of this book in order to clarify some fine points. Well researched and well written, this is a treasure for anyone who appreciates Tyler's work.

Each year, I look forward to Algonquin's Best Stories of the South. To have the best of the best all in one book is a treat. Some of my favorite stories reside in these pages. "Memorial Day" is one of my ALL TIME favorite short stories. If you enjoy the short story form--and appreciate the Southern voice in its varied and rich tones, then this should be a staple on your bookshelf.

In another area of Amazon, there are at least 10 copies of this anthology selling for $.01.

I don't know why this is priced so high, but it looks like someone's trying to make a killing on some poor unsuspecting buyer!

Just plug in Anne Tyler on search button and you will find 144 copies of this same hardback, same date of publication, unabridged etc. starting at $.01 from many different Amazon Marketplace sellers.

This book is indeed available, 103 copies to be exact, and starting at $.01.

Just plug in Anne Tyler in search line above, and you will find this book, I believe, on the 2-3 page. If that is inaccurate, just keep on looking, I found it quickly and purchased it for a penny + s&h.

It's a good anthology and my review of it is the first one.

From Anne Tyler comes her latest novel Digging to America.

I first encountered (?) Tyler when I lived in Washington DC, in the late 70s and early 80s. Browsing in the bookshop, I came across a hardback of Morgan's Passing. I leafed through it and bought it. From beginning to end, I was transported into Morgan's world created by Tyler, the Baltimore based writer.

I used to go to Baltimore at least twice a month - for seafood. After reading the book, every time I went, I thought of Tyler. I wondered what part of town she lived in. What did her house look like? What did she look like?

Morgan's Passing is an exquisite piece of work. Every detail of Morgan - his house, his appearance, his friends, his community - appeared in my mind, crystal clear. After this, I became a diehard Tyler fan, reading every book she wrote.

Digging to America is about the ultimate immigrant experience. Based in Baltimore (where most of her books are based) it's about the story of two families (and their families) connected by the adoption of Korean girls. In some ways the families couldn't be different. One is first generation Iranian and the other full blooded American. They first meet at the airport, where they're collected to receive their babies. Slowly they begin to get to know each other, and became friends. They have their individual and collective tensions, cultural differences, petty jealousies and comparisons. But, despite this they are there for each other - cooking, babysitting, car pooling, hand holding, and giving support.
The story is woven around family and parties. The two families begin to organize `Arrival parties' (to mark the day the girls arrived from Korea). And, like most families, a great deal is revealed in family gatherings. It is amusing, tiring, poignant and familiar - all together and separately.

Tyler was married to an Iranian psychiatrist man (who died some years ago), so her immigrant experience in some ways is first hand. Simple things such as finding the word in the mother tongue, and panicking that it is forgetting. Longing for a 'home', a culture, environment, that is no longer there. Not knowing where one belongs. It's the stuff that the immigrant experience is made of.

And of course there is love. What brings people together? Is it a common language, values, habits, experiences, or what? And, intergenerational relationships. How much to intrude? When to pull away? What do you do with loneliness when you are protecting your territory? What do you do with fear - of intimacy and relationships?

While I enjoyed Digging to America, I enjoyed Tyler's earlier books more. Maybe it's in the head. However, I still recommend her latest work to all those interested in multicultural relationships and good, interactive writing.

Rrose Is a Rrose Is a Rrose is a valuable contribution to any gender study or discourse. Complete with gender-conscious commentaries and gender-awareness raising photography, Rrose establishes itself as one of the forerunners in photography regarding this seldom considered, but often accessed, aspect of human life, sex, and sexuality.

Rrose... highlights most of the key issues within gender discourse as depicted through photography: gender hierarchy, origination of gender, androgyny and indifferentiation, and gender tension (both masculine and feminine manifestations).

Especially provocative are the works of Matthew Barney. However, all the works included provide a strong case for the necessity of higher states of gender-consciousness.

This book cannot, and should not, be easily dismissed.