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Author

Lauren Alwan

Lauren Alwan

Lauren Alwan’s fiction has appeared in the O. Henry Prize Stories, the Southern Review, the Alaska Quarterly Review, StoryQuarterly, in the Bellevue Literary Review. She is the recipient of a First Pages Prize, the Goldenberg Prize for Fiction, and.a citation of Notable in Best American Essays. Her essays have appeared in ZYZZYVA, Catapult, World Literature Today, The Rumpus, The Millions, Writer's Digest, and others. She is a prose editor at the museum of americana, an online literary review. Follow her on Twitter at @lauren_alwan and learn more at www.laurenalwan.com

  • Book LoveUncategorized

    My Favorite Reads of 2021

    by Lauren Alwan 23 December, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 23 December, 2021

    Six memorable debuts of literary fiction and nonfiction Disappearing Earth, by Julia Phlllips In Julia …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures & The Last House on Needless Street

    by Lauren Alwan 10 December, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 10 December, 2021

    Laura Lamont’s Life in Pictures, by Emma Straub Those captivated by Old Hollywood will surely …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | The Oysters of Locmariaquer & A Spindle Splintered

    by Lauren Alwan 19 November, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 19 November, 2021

    The Oysters of Locmariaquer, by Eleanor Clark Late in Eleanor Clark’s extraordinary book, she tells …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Rec |How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One & Frankie & Bug

    by Lauren Alwan 12 November, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 12 November, 2021

    How to Read to Read a Sentence and How to Write One, by Stanley Fish …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Rec | A Writer’s Notebook & Shadow Run

    by Lauren Alwan 21 October, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 21 October, 2021

    A Writer’s Notebook by Somerset Maugham Like most writers, I keep a notebook—not a journal, …

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  • Of Interest

    The Most Cringe-Worthy Song Lyrics Ever?

    by Lauren Alwan 4 October, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 4 October, 2021

    The grammatically awkward in music, via Twitter Grammarians, beware. Over on Twitter, Patricia Smith—poet, spoken-word …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs| Olive Kitteridge & Aetherbound

    by Lauren Alwan 17 September, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 17 September, 2021

    Olive Kitteridge, by Elizabeth Strout “Stories about women in houses are the real stories of …

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  • New ReleaseUncategorized

    Wereworld illustrated novella launches

    by Lauren Alwan 14 September, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 14 September, 2021

    WEREWORLD released digitally on 9/14 Acclaimed author Benjamin Percy (The Dark Net, The Wilding, Red …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs | Stoner & If You Build It

    by Lauren Alwan 10 September, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 10 September, 2021

    Stoner, by John Williams When it was first published, John Williams’ 1965 novel went out …

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  • Creative WritingUncategorized

    Tin House Books Reading Nonfiction Subs

    by Lauren Alwan 4 September, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 4 September, 2021

    A great opportunity for nonfiction writers! Three times per year, Tin House Books offers a …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs| Commonwealth & Black Water Sister

    by Lauren Alwan 3 September, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 3 September, 2021

    Commonwealth, by Ann Patchett Of divorce, Nicole Krauss wrote, “One of us held on to …

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  • Of InterestUncategorized

    #PitMad Pitch Party Returns Sept. 2

    by Lauren Alwan 26 August, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 26 August, 2021

    For unagented writers seeking representation, be sure to check out the Twitter-based pitch event, #PitMad, …

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  • NewsOf Interest

    National Book Critics’ Circle Kicks Off Auction for Literary Inclusion

    by Lauren Alwan 19 August, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 19 August, 2021

    The National Book Critics’ Circle, which honors outstanding writing and fosters a national conversation about …

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  • NewsOf InterestUncategorized

    Happy 85th Robert Redford

    by Lauren Alwan 18 August, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 18 August, 2021

    Born on this day in 1936, actor, director, and film icon Robert Redford—and in case …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs |Out of Place: A Memoir & Unless

    by Lauren Alwan 26 March, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 26 March, 2021

    Out of Place: A Memoir, by Edward Said Edward Said, the prolific author, political activist, …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | Passage to Ararat & LaRose

    by Lauren Alwan 12 March, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 12 March, 2021

    Passage to Ararat, by Michael J. Arlen During the Armenian genocide, 1.2 million Armenians were …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs |Paris Stories & Slow River

    by Lauren Alwan 5 February, 2021
    by Lauren Alwan 5 February, 2021

    Paris Stories by Mavis Gallant When the great story writer Mavis Gallant died, I thought …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | How to Grow Old Disgracefully: An Autobiography &

    by Lauren Alwan 20 November, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 20 November, 2020

    How to Grow Old Disgracefully: An Autobiography, by Hermione Gingold If you’re a fan of …

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  • Creative WritingLitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | Changing My Mind & Time Salvager

    by Lauren Alwan 6 November, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 6 November, 2020

    Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays, by Zadie Smith This collection of essays came about by …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | Current WTAW Press Titles & Other Americans

    by Lauren Alwan 30 October, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 30 October, 2020

    Current WTAW Press Titles WTAW Press has two great 2019 titles, Chimerica, the debut novel …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | Less & The Sol Majestic

    by Lauren Alwan 23 October, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 23 October, 2020

    Less, by Andrew Sean Greer Less, the sixth book and fifth novel by Andrew Sean …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Rec | Brooklyn & Miranda and Caliban

    by Lauren Alwan 21 August, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 21 August, 2020

    Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin Toibin’s 2009 novel, which won that year’s Costa Award, is a …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | Epilogue – A Memoir & The Grind

    by Lauren Alwan 14 August, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 14 August, 2020

    Epilogue: A Memoir, by Will Boast Both a remembrance and a elegiac account of the …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | #StayHome Summer Reads & The Resisters

    by Lauren Alwan 31 July, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 31 July, 2020

    The summer of 2020 is unlike those past—no traveling, no baseball games, limited beach and …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs: How to Write an Autobiographical Novel & Tranny

    by Lauren Alwan 10 July, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 10 July, 2020

    How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays, by Alexander Chee “Writing is a way of …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | AUTHOR – The Portraits of Beowulf Sheehan & Life on Mars

    by Lauren Alwan 3 July, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 3 July, 2020

    Author: The Portraits of Beowulf Sheehan, with a foreword by Salman Rushdie. Beowulf Sheehan, the …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs | Dreams From My Father: A Story of Inheritance & Gideon the Ninth

    by Lauren Alwan 19 June, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 19 June, 2020

    Dreams From My Father, by Barack Obama Stories that center on fathers have a distinct …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Rec |Delayed Rays of a Star & Feed

    by Lauren Alwan 12 June, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 12 June, 2020

    Delayed Rays of a Star, by Amanda Lee Koe At a New Year’s Eve ball …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | WTAW Press 2019 ebooks & Cyber Shogun Revolution

    by Lauren Alwan 24 April, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 24 April, 2020

    WTAW Press 2019 Titles WTAW Press released two great titles in 2019, Chimerica, the debut …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | Little Failure & Chosen Ones

    by Lauren Alwan 10 April, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 10 April, 2020

    Little Failure: A Memoir, by Gary Shteyngart “In order for me to be born,” Gary …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs |The Clothing of Books & The Sisters Grimm

    by Lauren Alwan 3 April, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 3 April, 2020

    The Clothing of Books, by Jhumpa Lahiri “How do you clothe a book?” is the …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack rec | The Way We Live Now & The Red

    by Lauren Alwan 20 March, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 20 March, 2020

    As you read this you may, like me, be working from home, while your partner …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs: The Vexations & Pet

    by Lauren Alwan 31 January, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 31 January, 2020

    The Vexations: a novel, by Caitlin Horrocks The lives of artists must portray artmaking for …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs: The Sense and Sensibility Screenplay and Diaries & LaRose

    by Lauren Alwan 18 January, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 18 January, 2020

    The Sense and Sensibility Screenplay and Diaries, by Emma Thompson Emma Thompson’s diary tracks the …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Rec: Anna May Wong: From Laundryman’s Daughter to Hollywood Legend & The Wanderers

    by Lauren Alwan 10 January, 2020
    by Lauren Alwan 10 January, 2020

    Anna May Wong: From Laundryman’s Daughter to Hollywood Legend, by Graham Russell Gao Hodges Don’t …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Rec: The Dead Fish Museum & Suicide Woods

    by Lauren Alwan 22 November, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 22 November, 2019

    The Dead Fish Museum: Stories, by Charles D’Ambrosio Charles D’Ambrosio’s 2006 story collection, The Dead …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    LitStack Rec: This Boy’s Life and Landscape With Invisible Hand

    by Lauren Alwan 8 November, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 8 November, 2019

    This Boy’s Life: A Memoir, by Tobias Wolff  First published in 1989, Tobias Wolff’s This Boy’s …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs: Vanity Fair & Slade House

    by Lauren Alwan 1 November, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 1 November, 2019

    Vanity Fair, by William Makepeace Thackeray The early nineteenth century didn’t have reality television, but …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Rec: Car Trouble & The Sol Majestic

    by Lauren Alwan 11 October, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 11 October, 2019

    As Car Trouble opens, it’s one a.m., and the novel’s young protagonist, Nicky Flynn, is …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs: Arranged Marriage: Stories & Shadow Run

    by Lauren Alwan 4 October, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 4 October, 2019

    Arranged Marriage: Stories, by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni The eleven stories in Arranged Marriage reveal Chitra …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs – Fear: Trump in the White House & A City Dreaming

    by Lauren Alwan 27 September, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 27 September, 2019

    Fear: Trump in the White House, by Bob Woodward With this week’s news that impeachment …

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  • Indie PressNew ReleaseUncategorized

    Two New Books From WTAW Press

    by Lauren Alwan 9 September, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 9 September, 2019

    WTAW Press has just released its 2019 titles, Chimerica, the debut novel from Anita Fellicelli, …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs: Barack Obama’s Summer Reading List & Admiral

    by Lauren Alwan 15 August, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 15 August, 2019

    Barack Obama’s Summer Reading List The #SummerReads of President Barack Obama are always an eclectic …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Rec: The 400 Blows & The Last Wish (The Witcher)

    by Lauren Alwan 8 August, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 8 August, 2019

    The 400 Blows, by Francois Truffaut This year marks the 60th anniversary of the release …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs: Fleabag & Speak Easy

    by Lauren Alwan 26 July, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 26 July, 2019

    Last week, when the Emmy nominations were announced, the BBC Three series Fleabag received eleven …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstaff Rec: Werewolves in Their Youth: Stories & The Cage

    by Lauren Alwan 19 July, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 19 July, 2019

    Werewolves in Their Youth: Stories, by Michael Chabon Michael Chabon’s, Werewolves in Their Youth isn’t …

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  • Of InterestOpinion

    Staff Rec: The Clothing of Books & Boy Erased

    by Lauren Alwan 5 July, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 5 July, 2019

    The Clothing of Books by Jhumpa Lahiri “How do you clothe a book?” is the …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Rec: The Mueller Report & Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore

    by Lauren Alwan 31 May, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 31 May, 2019

    On Wednesday, Special Counsel Robert Mueller spoke publicly for the first time about the Russia …

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  • UncategorizedLitStack Recs

    Litstack Rec The Goldfinch, & The Dead Lands

    by Lauren Alwan 8 February, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 8 February, 2019

    The Goldfinch, by Donna Tartt The reception Donna Tartt garnered for her third novel—her first …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Rec: The Boys of My Youth & Aurora

    by Lauren Alwan 25 January, 2019
    by Lauren Alwan 25 January, 2019

    The Boys of My Youth, by Jo Ann Beard When it was released in 1998, …

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