Jay Parini est un écrivain et universitaire américain, connu pour ses romans, sa poésie, ses biographies et ses critiques. Ses œuvres explorent souvent des thèmes humains profonds, rédigées dans un style perspicace et captivant. La capacité de Parini à sonder les complexités de l'expérience humaine et son talent littéraire en font une voix significative dans les lettres américaines contemporaines.
Exploring fundamental questions of existence, Jay Parini's work appeals to progressive Christians and spiritual seekers grappling with life's limits and sadnesses. The book delves into the possibilities for awareness and understanding, reflecting Parini's own struggles and insights.
Paris, 1940. Walter Benjamin has laboured for ten years to complete the work which will secure his reputation as one of the century's seminal thinkers. Finally, when Nazi tanks surround the city, he packs the 1000-page manuscript and sets off for the Spanish border and freedom.
An intimate and magical memoir about embarking on a road trip with Borges through Scotland and the famed writer's thoughts on literature, love and poetry
Examines the importance of the poetic voice and the mysteries of metaphor. This book argues that a poet's originality depends on a deep understanding of the traditions of political poetry, nature poetry, and religious poetry. It is suitable for those interested in a fresh introduction to an art that lies at the centre of Western civilization.
An intimate yet frank biography of Gore Vidal, one of the most accomplished, visible and controversial American novelists and cultural figures of the past century. The product of thirty years of friendship and conversation, Jay Parini's biography probes behind the glittering surface of Vidal's colourful life to reveal the complex emotional and sexual truth underlying his celebrity-strewn life. But there is plenty of glittering surface as well - a virtual Who's Who of the American Century, from Eleanor Roosevelt on down. The life of Gore Vidal was an amazingly full one; a life of colourful incident, famous people and lasting achievements that calls out for careful evocation and examination. Through Jay Parini's eyes and words comes an accessible, entertaining story that puts the life and times of one of the great American figures of the post-war era into context, that introduces the author to a generation who didn't know him before and looks behind-the-scenes at the man and his work in frank ways never possible before his death. Parini, provided with unique access to Vidal's life and his papers, excavates buried skeletons, but never loses sight of his deep respect for Vidal and his astounding gifts.
The book offers a captivating exploration of Faulkner's life, blending anecdotal storytelling with insightful analysis. It presents a compelling narrative that engages readers while avoiding sensationalism, making it both accessible and thought-provoking. The blend of personal anecdotes and deeper reflections provides a unique perspective on Faulkner's experiences, showcasing the richness of his life in a way that feels both engaging and enlightening.
This fascinating reassessment of America's most popular and famous poet reveals a more complex and enigmatic man than many readers might expect. Jay Parini spent over twenty years interviewing friends of Frost and working in the poet's archives at Dartmouth, Amherst, and elsewhere to produce this definitive and insightful portrait of both the public and private man. While he depicts the various stages of Frost's colorful life, Parini also sensitively explores the poet's psyche, showing how he dealt with adversity, family tragedy, and depression. By taking the reader into the poetry itself, which he reads closely and brilliantly, Parini offers an insightful road map to Frost's remarkable world.
"A historical novel of the Apostle Paul, whose tireless and epic preaching of the message of Jesus brought Christianity into existence and changed human history. In relating Paul's epic journeys, both geographical and spiritual, the author unfolds a vivid panorama of the ancient world on the verge of epochal change, while in the alternating voice of the Gospel writer Luke, Paul's travel companion, scribe, and ghostwriter, a cooler perspective on Paul's actions and beliefs emerges"--Adapted from publisher.
BIOGRAPHY: ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT. An intimate, authorized yet totally frank biography of Gore Vidal (1925-2012), one of the most accomplished, visible, and controversial American novelists and cultural figures of the past century. The product of thirty years of friendship and conversation, Jay Parini's Empire of Self digs behind the glittering surface of Gore Vidal's colorful career to reveal the complex emotional and sexual truths underlying his celebrity-strewn life. But there is plenty of glittering surface as well-a virtual Who's Who of the twentieth century, from Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart through the Kennedys, Johnny Carson, Leonard Bernstein, and the creme de la creme of Hollywood. Also a generous helping of feuds with the likes of William F. Buckley, Norman Mailer, Truman Capote, and The New York Times, among other adversaries
Explore the transcendent world of unity and ultimate beauty in Edgar Allan Poe’s verse in this complete poetry collection. Although best known for his short stories, Edgar Allan Poe was by nature and choice a poet. From his exquisite lyric “To Helen,” to his immortal masterpieces, “Annabel Lee,” “The Bells,” and “The Raven,” Poe stands beside the celebrated English romantic poets Shelley, Byron, and Keats, and his haunting, sensuous poetic vision profoundly influenced the Victorian giants Swinburne, Tennyson, and Rossetti. Today his dark side speaks eloquently to contemporary readers in poems such as “The Haunted Palace” and “The Conqueror Worm,” with their powerful images of madness and the macabre. But even at the end of his life, Poe reached out to his art for comfort and courage, giving us in “Eldorado” a talisman to hold during our darkest moments—a timeless gift from a great American writer. Includes an Introduction by Jay Parini and an Afterword by April Bernard
