Lorrie Moore

1295 Words3 Pages

Lorrie Moore is the author of three novels, four short story collections, and one children’s’ book spanning from 1985 till 2009. In a profile about Moore, done right before the release of Who Will Run the Frog Hospital, Lee states, “Since 1984, Moore has been teaching at the University of Wisconsin, as an English professor, and wrote at her own pace” (“About Lorrie Moore: A Profile”). Moore acknowledged in the same article, “I’ve rarely felt any pressure to publish, and I really like writing what I want, at a pace that is the natural one” (Lee). When the novel A Gate at the Stairs came out there was a span of fifteen years since Moore’s last novel in 1994. The long span of time brought about a great deal of buzz from every review, however, while most critics speak greatly about Moore herself, there was not many harmonious thoughts about the book. The reviews changed tone from one praising about the book, to another asking if reading the 322-page novel was “even worth it” (Jones 53). Moore is a talented author; maybe someday she will produce a book worthy enough for the canon, but not this one.
Moore does not have an extensive collection of published writings, yet seems to have a good following. Her fiction works are considered young adult-adult books, as is A Gate at the Stairs, but started her published career writing “Self Help” (1985) at the age of twenty-six, “comprised almost entirely of stories from her master’s thesis” (“About Lorrie Moore: A Profile” Lee). Ron Charles, the writer of the Washington Post review, talks about the gap of time in Moore’s novels and makes a bold statement about her work and what others can now get from Moore. Charles notes, “… a whole generation of readers has grown up thinking of her o...

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... is thrown in the middle of this whirlwind of things she is not exactly capable of dealing with or even understanding? After reading the reviews, I am still not sure myself.

Works Cited

Charles, Ron. “With Novel Twists, Moore Paints Both Darkness and an Age of Enlightenment.” Washington Post: 02 Sept. 2009. Web. 19 Nov. 2013
Jones, Malcolm. “Childhood’s End” Newsweek: 154:10 (7 Sept. 2009): 53. Print.
Knopf. “A Gate at The Stairs.” GoodReads.com Reviews: published 1 Sept. 2009 Web. 30 Nov. 2013
Lee, Don. “About Lorrie Moore: A Profile.” PShares.org: 1994. Web. 30 Nov. 2013
Lethem, Jonathan. “Eyes Wide Open” NYTimes: 27 Aug. 2009. Web. 19 Nov. 2013
Robson, Leo. “Make do With Data.” New Statesman (1996) 28 Sept. 2009: 60. Academic OneFile. Web. 19 Nov. 2013
Wallace-Wells, David. “Like Lives.” Nation 289.21 (2009): 35-40. Academic Search Elite. Web.

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