To ask other readers questions about dear life, please sign up. I had never read any alice munro, and i find its difficult to say anything. Reading guide for dear life by alice munro bookbrowse. Reading guide for dear life by alice munro discussion guide for book clubs. Winner of the nobel prize in literature alice munro was born in 1931 and is the author of thirteen collections of stories, most recently dear life, and a novel, lives of girls and women. I was surprised to see you characterize this section of the book as the first and last thing. Dear life is alice munros latest collection of short stories, which include four amazing. For good reason, its rare when an alice munro book gets something. Author alice munro and the cover of her novel, dear life. Reading these stories will tell you something about alice munros life, but it. Youve written so much about young women who feel trapped in marriage and motherhood and. In one sentence, how would you describe the book dear life. Dear life by alice munro penguin random house audio.
In this book, munro has laid bare the foundations of her fiction as never before. These were the questions that came to mind as i turned the last page of her phenomenal book. The couple moved to victoria in 1963 and opened the munros books, a large and independent bookstore that is still operational to this day. Dear life is a short story collection by canadian writer alice munro, published in 2012 by mcclelland and stewart the book was to have been promoted in part by a reading at torontos international festival of authors, although the appearance was cancelled due to health concerns publication history. I need only to start reading a few pages of a book by alice munro to know i can relax to the strains of a familiar voice and feel secure in the steady pen of a solid writer. Moments of change, chance encounters, twists of fate that create a new way of thinking or being. The following questions are designed to help you guide your high school students through a structured discussion about alice munros short story collection dear life. The latter which i preferred offered a glimpse of the young alice munro growing. Most of the stories collected in dear life had previously been published elsewhere. Her works are often recognized as being both well written and captivating, and it is not uncommon for her works to receive national attention and recognition. With her penetrating new collection, dear life, alice munro demonstrates once again why she deserves her reputation as a master of short fiction.
This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of dear life by alice munro. Where to start with alice munro, the newest nobel laureate. Stories by alice munro alice munro delivers a collection of stories that makes ordinary existence seem extraordinary, from the costly nature of first love to the literal. Suffused with munros clarity of vision and her unparalleled gift for storytelling, these tales about departures and beginnings, accidents and dangers, and outgoings and homecomings both imagined and real, paint a radiant, indelible portrait of how. The best thing to say about alice munro is said so often, it doesnat mean much anymore.
A brilliant new collection of stories from one of the most acclaimed and beloved writers of our time. Alice munro captures the essence of life in her brilliant new collection of stories. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. If you havent come yet, please look out for the books on the table, pull up a chair, order a wine and join us. Alice munros latest story collection includes the first and last and the closest things i have to say about my own life. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. And in stories that munro has described as closer to the truth than usualdear life, working for a living, and home among themwe glimpse the authors own life. Munro weighs the twists and turns of this dear life november 15, 2012 alice munro delivers a collection of stories that makes ordinary existence. In dear life, her th collection, munro again breathes life real, blemished, nuanced life into her characters and settings usually her hometown in huron county, ontario.
The questions that follow are intended to enhance your groups conversation about alice munros dear life, a group of stories. Moments of change, chance encounters,the twist of fate that leads a person off the accustomed path and on to a new way of thinking and being. Many people, from members of my writing group, to lecturers ive listened to. Where to start with alice munro, the newest nobel laureate for fiction. Reading one of alice munros texts is like watching a. Dear life is a 2012 short story collection by canadian author alice munro, containing the stories.
The atlantic, npr, san francisco chronicle, vogue, av club in story after story in this brilliant new collection, alice munro pinpoints the moment a person is forever altered by a chance encounter, an action not taken, or a. Alice laidlaw munro is a writer who grew up in wingham, ontario. Postmedia is committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion and encourage all readers to share their views on our articles. Alice munro s latest story collection includes the first and last and the closest things i have to say about my own life. You half expect a new collection of stories by the beloved alice munro to arrive already devoured. Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers. In story after story, she illumines the moment a life is forever altered by a. Set mostly against the sprawling backdrop of rural canada during and just after world war ii, these 14 stories explore with.
Dear life munro litlovers book club recommendations. Alice munro, canadian shortstory writer who was known for exquisitely drawn narratives that reveal the depth and complexities in the emotional lives of everyday people. Dear life is a collection of short stories by nobel prizewinning canadian. Alice munros peerless ability to give us the essence of a life in often brief but always spacious and timeless stories is once again everywhere apparent in this brilliant collection. This was our chosen book club read and, struggling with time, i was delighted to have short stories on the list so that i could still comment even if i. Winner of the nobel prize in literature 20 a new york times notable book a washington post notable work of fiction a best book of the year. Dear life stories book club kit short stories book club kit. In dear life, her th collection, munro again breathes lifereal, blemished, nuanced lifeinto her characters and settings usually her hometown in huron county, ontario. The atlantic, npr, san francisco chronicle, vogue, av club in story after story in this brilliant new collection, alice munro pinpoints the moment a person is forever altered by a chance encounter, an action not taken, or a simple twist of fate. If one or more works are by a distinct, homonymous authors, go ahead and split the author. Dear life, stories by alice munro the new york times. The stories in dear life, by nobel prizewinning author alice munro, build to form a radiant, indelible portrait of just how dangerous and strange ordinary l.
Her stories all involve small rural towns and are all collections of short stories that deal with the authors own experiences. Just after my mother had grabbed me up, as she said, for dear life. The questions that follow are intended to enhance your groups conversation about alice munros dear life, a group of stories by one of our. Alice munro was born in 1931 and is the author of thirteen collections of stories, most recently dear life, and a novel, lives of girls and women.
The bookstore has grown to become one of the most magnificent bookstores in canada. Lovers of her writing must hope this is not, in fact, her finale. Nobel prize winner alice munros peerless ability to give us the essence of a life in often brief but always spacious and timeless stories is on. Alice munros peerless ability to give us the essence of a life in often brief but always spacious and timeless stories is once again everywhere apparent in this brilliant new collection. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading dear life. As the nobel prize presentation speech says in part. Since starting this book club a few years ago we have formed a nice core membership. Stories vintage international kindle edition by munro, alice. She has received many awards and prizes, including three of canadas governor generals literary awards and two giller prizes, the rea award for the short story, the lannan literary award, the whsmith book. The henna artist opens a door into a world that is at. Alice munros dear life alice munro has been heralded as one of the most influential shortstory writers to ever come from canada. Dear life, like every new alice munro collection, is like returning for. Alice munros dear life allows us to travel through various locations, experience a series of events and become acquainted with diverse characters.
Dear life is a collection as rich and surprising as any in alice munros deep career. The book is more, however, than just the latest evidence of her excellence. Alice munro is currently considered a single author. Canadian born alice munro, a worldclass writer whose name comes up on lists of potential nobel literature candidates, is writing at the peak of her powers in dear life. Moments of change, chance encounters, the twist of fate that leads a person to a new way of thinking or being. If dear life is, indeed, her last book, shell have left behind a large body of work that might feel daunting for the. She is a popular writer who has been on the scene since the 1950s. In dear life, she shows no sign of running out of material nor any sloppiness toward the form she has so gracefully deployed for almost half a century. With her peerless ability to give us the essence of a life in often brief but spacious and timeless stories, alice munro illumines the moment a life is shaped the moment a dream, or sex, or perhaps a simple twist of fate turns a person out of his or her accustomed path and into another way of being. Learn more about munros life and work, including her notable books and other awards. National post alice munro has always been the poet of the unexpected passion that comes seemingly out nowhere and changes a characters life. Alice munro, at the age of two or three, in her home town of wingham, ontario. First off i confess to not having read many short story collections, so i was pleased when my book group chose dear life by alice munro a writer ive be.