Ann Hood is een gevierde auteur wiens werken worden gekenmerkt door diepgaande inzichten in de menselijke psyche en de complexiteit van relaties. Haar proza verkent vaak thema's als liefde, verlies en de zoektocht naar betekenis, met een delicate toets en een realistisch perspectief. Hood weeft meesterlijk verhalen die lezers meenemen in het intieme leven van haar personages, en hen aanzetten tot reflectie op hun eigen ervaringen. Haar vermogen om de essentie van het menselijk bestaan te vangen, maakt haar tot een belangrijke hedendaagse stem.
Exploring themes of grief and resilience, this poignant narrative captures the emotional journey of its characters as they navigate loss and healing. With a heartfelt approach, the story resonates with readers who appreciate tales of personal growth and the complexities of human relationships. Ann Hood's storytelling weaves together moments of sorrow and hope, making it a compelling read for fans of similar heartfelt literature.
The twins explore the mysteries surrounding the Pickworth family as they settle into their new home at Elm Medona. Their investigation into The Treasure Chest reveals secrets about their great-uncle Thorne's disappearance and the theft of valuable family artifacts, leading them on an intriguing adventure filled with family history and hidden treasures.
Set in 1836 Massachusetts, Felix and Maisie find themselves on a farm where they encounter Clara Barton, a pivotal historical figure. Initially disappointed by their location instead of New York City, the twins ponder the purpose of their journey. They question whether Clara has a message for them or if they are meant to share something significant with her. This intriguing premise intertwines adventure with historical exploration, inviting readers to discover the connections between the characters and their time.
After the loss of her only child, Mary Baxter finds herself unable to read or write, the activities that used to be her primary source of comfort. She reluctantly joins a knitting circle as a way to fill her lonely days—not knowing it will change her life. As they teach Mary new knitting techniques, the women in the circle also reveal their own secrets of loss, love, and hope. With time, Mary is finally able to tell her own story of grief, and in so doing finds the spark of life again.
In this warm collection of personal essays and recipes, best-selling author Ann Hood “connects food with memory in delicious ways” (Jane Ciabattari, BBC). From her Italian-American childhood, through raising and feeding a growing family and cooking with her new husband, food writer Michael Ruhlman, Ann Hood has long appreciated the power of good food. In Kitchen Yarns, pairing her signature humor and tenderness with simple, comforting recipes, Hood spins tales of loss and starting from scratch, family love and feasts with friends, and how the perfect meal is one that tastes like home.
In 1978, in the tailwind of the golden age of air travel, flight attendants were the epitome of glamor and sophistication. Fresh out of college and hungry to experience the world—and maybe, one day, write about it—Ann Hood joined their ranks. After a grueling job search, Hood survived TWA’s rigorous Breech Training Academy and learned to evacuate seven kinds of aircraft, deliver a baby, mix proper cocktails, administer oxygen, and stay calm no matter what the situation.In the air, Hood found both the adventure she’d dreamt of and the unexpected realities of life on the job. She carved chateaubriand in the first-class cabin and dined in front of the pyramids in Cairo, fended off passengers’ advances and found romance on layovers in London and Lisbon, and walked more than a million miles in high heels. She flew through the start of deregulation, an oil crisis, massive furloughs, and a labor strike.As the airline industry changed around her, Hood began to write—even drafting snatches of her first novel from the jump-seat. She reveals how the job empowered her, despite its roots in sexist standards. Packed with funny, moving, and shocking stories of life as a flight attendant, Fly Girl captures the nostalgia and magic of air travel at its height, and the thrill that remains with every takeoff.
A sophisticated and suspenseful novel about the poignant lives of two women living in different eras. On the day John F. Kennedy is inaugurated, Claire, an uncompromising young wife and mother obsessed with the glamour of Jackie O, struggles over the decision of whether to stay in a loveless marriage or follow the man she loves and whose baby she may be carrying. Decades earlier, in 1919, Vivien Lowe, an obituary writer, is searching for her lover who disappeared in the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906. By telling the stories of the dead, Vivien not only helps others cope with their grief but also begins to understand the devastation of her own terrible loss. The surprising connection between Claire and Vivien will change the life of one of them in unexpected and extraordinary ways. Part literary mystery and part love story, The Obituary Writer examines expectations of marriage and love, the roles of wives and mothers, and the emotions of grief, regret, and hope.
Characters navigate their struggles through unique coping mechanisms, revealing profound insights amid their ordinary lives. A pregnant woman cooks without tasting, a young alcoholic pursues a priest while battling sobriety, and an adolescent girl finds romance through bird-watching. These interconnected stories, featured in notable literary magazines, explore themes of escape and self-discovery. Ann Hood's vibrant storytelling immerses readers in the intimate, eccentric worlds of her characters, illustrating how true peace arises from acceptance rather than avoidance.
Arriving on the doorstep of her college roommate, Katherine begins a new life in the Big Apple, forging a new friendship with an old friend even as the old friend copes with her own problems. Reprint.
Winner of a Foreword IndieFab Book of the Year AwardIn 1967, Joan Didion wrote an essay called Goodbye to All That , a work of such candid and penetrating prose that it soon became the gold standard for personal essays. Like no other story before it, Didion’s tale of loving and leaving New York captured the mesmerizing allure Manhattan has always had for writers, poets, and wandering spirits.In this captivating collection, 28 writers take up Didion’s literary legacy by sharing their own New York stories. Their essays often begin as love stories do, with the passion of something newly discovered—the crush of subway crowds, the streets filled with manic energy, and the certainty that this is the only place on Earth where one can become exactly who she is meant to be.They also share the grief that comes when the metropolis loses its magic and the pressures of New York’s frenetic life wear thin on even the most fervent dwellers. As friends move away, rents soar, and love—still— remains just out of reach, each writer’s goodbye to New York is singular and universal, like New York itself.With Cheryl Strayed, Dani Shapiro, Emma Straub, Ann Hood, and more.
