A Writer's Moment: Start with 'a great appetite for the curious'

A Writer's Moment: Start with 'a great appetite for the curious':   “One of the most adventurous things left us is to go to bed. For no one can lay a hand on our dreams.”  – E. V. Lucas   Born in Eltham...

Start with 'a great appetite for the curious'

 

“One of the most adventurous things left us is to go to bed. For no one can lay a hand on our dreams.” – E. V. Lucas

 

Born in Eltham, England on this date in 1868, Lucas was a humorist, essayist, playwright, biographer, publisher, poet, novelist, short story writer and editor.  Despite that massive resumé, he achieved  most acclaim as editor of the works (and biographer) of Charles Lamb, and for his  decades-long contributions to the British humor magazine Punch.

 

Considered one of the greatest humorists of the first half of the 20^th century, Lucas “. . . had a great appetite for the curious, the human, and the ridiculous,” said fellow wrier Frank Swinnerton.  “If he were offered a story, an incident or an absurdity, his mind instantly shaped it with wit and form.”  

 

His 150-plus titles include Life of Charles Lamb, considered the seminal work on the author; several novels, biographies and plays; 30 collections of light essays; and dozens of travel books and books about painters.   Of the last he said, “I know very little about pictures, but I like to write about them for the benefit of those who know less.”

 

“The art of life is to show your hand,” Lucas said.  “There is no diplomacy like candor. You may lose by it now and then, but it will be a loss well gained if you do.”

A Writer's Moment: 'Falling into the right hands'

A Writer's Moment: 'Falling into the right hands':   “A novel is balanced between a few true impressions and the multitude of false ones that make up most of what we call life. With a novelis...

'Falling into the right hands'

 

“A novel is balanced between a few true impressions and the multitude of false ones that make up most of what we call life. With a novelist, like a surgeon, you have to get a feeling that you've fallen into good hands - someone from whom you can accept the anesthetic with confidence.” – Saul Bellow

 

Born in Canada on June 10, 1915 Bellow became a naturalized U.S. citizen after attending the University of Chicago and Northwestern University where he studied writing and English and earned degrees in sociology and anthropology.  The fact that he was an anthropologist probably is not a surprise for his readers who find anthropological references sprinkled throughout his many award-winning books.  

  

He may be best known for his Adventures of Augie March, often labeled “The 20^th Century Don Quixote.”   Bellow won every major writing award, including the Nobel Prize and is the only writer to win the National Book Award for Fiction 3 times.  He also was honored with the Lifetime Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, the National Medal of Arts, and 2 Pulitzer Prizes.

  

"The backbone of 20th-century American literature has been provided by two novelists—William Faulkner and Saul Bellow,” noted novelist Philip Roth.  “Together they are the Melville, Hawthorne, and Twain of the 20th century." 

Well-liked for his wry sense of humor, he once noted “You know, you never have to change anything you got up in the middle of the night to write down.” 

A Writer's Moment: A champion for social justice and human rights

A Writer's Moment: A champion for social justice and human rights:   “I've always loved writing, and the impulse for me is storytelling. I don't sit down and think: 'What political message can I ...

A champion for social justice and human rights

 

“I've always loved writing, and the impulse for me is storytelling. I don't sit down and think: 'What political message can I sell?' I love the creativity of it.” – Randa Abdel-Fattah

 

Born in Sydney, Australia in June of 1979, Abdel-Fattah is of Palestinian-Egyptian heritage, bringing an interesting cultural mix to her writing.  She had her first short story published at age 11, wrote numerous short stories as a teenager, and completed the first draft of her debut novel Does My Head Look Big in This? at age 18.   The story about life choices, bias and abiding friendships, the book also spawned a play and both versions were winner of numerous awards.

 

In addition to her writing, Abdel-Fattah is an attorney and champion for social justice and human rights issues.  A frequent speaker and regular broadcast commentator on those topics, she has continued to produce short stories and essays and (to date) a dozen books.  Her most recent is 2025’s Discipline.

 

Abdel-Fattah's writing also touches on celebratory events from all cultures and religions. 

 

“Religious celebrations,” she said, “and the good will, high spirits and generosity that mark them, are wonderful occasions for understanding the potential of 'everyday multiculturalism,’ and how people from diverse faiths can connect and show they care, rather than go down parallel, sometimes hostile, roads.”

A Writer's Moment: 'The task of a writer'

A Writer's Moment: 'The task of a writer':   “The task of a writer consists of being able to make something out of an idea.”  – Thomas Mann   Born in Lubeck, Germany on June 6, 18...