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Author

Lauren Alwan

Lauren Alwan, Sharon Browning

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

  • LitStack Reviews

    A Definitive Study of Alfred Hitchcock & Boy Erased

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 4 November, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 4 November, 2023

    For this LitStack Rec, we’re recommending two books, Alfred Hitchcock/Truffaut, and Boy Erased. A Definitive …

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  • LitStack ReviewsIndie Press

    “Tiny Nightmares” – 42 Very Short Tales of Horror

    by Lauren Alwan 28 October, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 28 October, 2023

    Happy Halloween as this review revisits Tiny Nightmares Do Tiny Nightmares Scare You? In their …

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  • LitStack Reviews

    Five 5-Star Books You Must Read This Fall

    by Lauren Alwan 14 October, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 14 October, 2023

    Here are five 5-star books you must read this fall. My fall reading list has …

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  • LitStack RecsLitStack Toolkit

    3 Classics of Writing Craft & The Poet X

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 7 October, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 7 October, 2023

    Two LitStack Recs this week! How fantastic is that? Take a look at the books …

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  • LitStack Reviews

    Anna May Wong: From Laundryman’s Daughter to Hollywood Legend & A Song for a New Day

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 30 September, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 30 September, 2023

    Anna May Wong: From Laundryman’s Daughter to Hollywood Legend, by Graham Russell Gao Hodges For …

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  • LitStack Reviews

    “Ship Fever” and “The Lighthouse Road” – 2 LitStack Recs

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 23 September, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 23 September, 2023

    Ship Fever: Stories, by Andrea Barrett One of my favorite National Book Awards selections in …

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  • LitStack Reviews

    A Powerful Family Saga in “The Dutch House” by Ann Patchett

    by Lauren Alwan 16 September, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 16 September, 2023

    The Dutch House, finalist for the 2020 Pulitzer Prize. The question comes from Danny Conroy, …

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  • LitStack Reviews

    These Charming People: Stories & The Stargazer’s Sister

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 9 September, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 9 September, 2023

    These Charming People, stories by Michael Arlen In the period just after World War One, …

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  • LitStack Reviews

    A Big-Hearted “Car Trouble” by Robert Rorke

    by Lauren Alwan 2 September, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 2 September, 2023

    Here is our original review of “Car Trouble” in honor of our dear friend, Robert …

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  • LitStack Reviews

    The Fact in F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Fictional “The Great Gatsby”

    by Lauren Alwan 26 August, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 26 August, 2023

    The Great Gatsby is in ways an unlikely fixture of canonical literature.  The Great Gatsby …

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  • Creative WritingLitStack ToolkitPodcasts

    8 Essential Podcasts for Writers

    by Lauren Alwan 12 August, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 12 August, 2023

    Essential podcasts for writers to get you started with fascinating conversations, writing advice, sources of …

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  • LitStack Recs

    All Stories are Ghost Stories – Revisiting “Life Drawing” by Robin Black

    by Lauren Alwan 5 August, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 5 August, 2023

    Nobody outside a marriage can understand it. Life Drawing, by Robin Black “Nobody outside a …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Reading—and Watching—Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice”

    by Lauren Alwan 29 July, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 29 July, 2023

    Jane Austen’s 1813 novel “Pride and Prejudice” is a classic of literature with fans across …

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  • LitStack Recsnovella

    3 Outstanding Titles From Alcove Chapbooks – Is Short The New Long?

    by Lauren Alwan 22 July, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 22 July, 2023

    The Alcove Chapbook Series Prize released its first chapbooks from WTAW Press The Rise Of …

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  • LitStack Recs

    The Language of a Painter’s Vocabulary in “Pictures,” by David Hockney

    by Lauren Alwan 15 July, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 15 July, 2023

    Pictures by David Hockney, published in 1979, was intended as a catalog of Hockney’s work …

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  • LitStack Recs

    5 Author Substacks You Need to Read Now

    by Lauren Alwan 8 July, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 8 July, 2023

    Brisk, witty, and always surprising. Expect the unexpected. In their Substack columns, these acclaimed authors …

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  • LitStack Recs

    3 Great Books to Kick Off Your Summer Reading

    by Lauren Alwan 1 July, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 1 July, 2023

    Find The Perfect Summer Reading! Cozy Up To Your Summer Reading Summer is a great …

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  • LitStack RecsMemoir

    A Testament to Darkness and Light: And There Was Evening And There Was Morning, a memoir by Mike Smith

    by Lauren Alwan 10 June, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 10 June, 2023

    For this week’s Litstack Rec, we’re revisiting And There Was Evening And There Was Morning, …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Unpacking the Hidden Parts – “Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative”

    by Lauren Alwan 3 June, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 3 June, 2023

    For this LitStack Rec of “Body Work,” we unpack the hidden parts of memoir. Lauren …

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  • LitStack RecsShort Stories

    5 Outstanding Linked Story Collections Perfect for Short Story Month

    by Lauren Alwan 27 May, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 27 May, 2023

    For this LitStack Rec, we are celebrating Short Story Month by singing the praises of …

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  • LitStack RecsMemoir

    Hiding a Perilous Truth in James Tate Hill’s “Blind Man’s Bluff”

    by Lauren Alwan 14 May, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 14 May, 2023

    For this LitStack Rec, we’re revisiting James Tate Hill’s engaging and unique memoir, Blind Man’s …

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  • LitStack ListLitStack Recs

    Celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month with 7 Great Books

    by Lauren Alwan 6 May, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 6 May, 2023

    These novels, story collections, and works of nonfiction by Asian American and Pacific Islander authors …

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  • LitStack Recs

    A Poem Opens Between Two Languages in “O” by Zeina Hashem Beck

    by Lauren Alwan 29 April, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 29 April, 2023

    This LitStack Rec celebrates April’s National Poetry Month and Arab American Heritage Month by recommending …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Blurring Fiction And Actual Events In “The Hero Of This Book,” By Elizabeth McCracken

    by Lauren Alwan 22 April, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 22 April, 2023

    Our Litstack Rec Of The Hero Of This Book “Your family is the first novel …

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  • Literary FictionLitStack RecsMemoirPoetry

    An Inspiring Read for National Poetry Month | “On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous”

    by Lauren Alwan 15 April, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 15 April, 2023

    A Story Deepened by a Poetic Sensibility Ocean Vuong’s 2019 novel, On Earth We’re Briefly …

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  • LitStack RecsLitStack Trends

    Give Your Soul and Grit to Daisy Jones & The Six, by Taylor Jenkins Reid

    by Lauren Alwan 8 April, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 8 April, 2023

    The right song, at the right time, with the right person. The Essence of Daisy …

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  • LitStack RecsLitStack Reviews

    Stanley Tucci’s Taste: My Life Through Food & Six of Crows

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 24 March, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 24 March, 2023

    Taste: My Life Through Food, a memoir “Cook. Smell. Taste. Eat. Drink. Share. Repeat as …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Three Classic Irish Writers to Read on St. Patrick’s Day & Wintering

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 17 March, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 17 March, 2023

    Brooklyn, by Colm Toibin Toibin’s 2009 novel, recipient of the Costa Award, is an affecting …

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  • LitStack RecsMemoir

    Litstack Recs | The Candy House & Born A Crime

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 24 February, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 24 February, 2023

    The Candy House: a novel, by Jennifer Egan This intricate novel of futurism, connection, love …

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  • LitStack Recs

    LitStack Recs | Nights & The Ballad of Black Tom

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 17 February, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 17 February, 2023

    Nights, by Joan Didion Blue Nights is a counterpart to Didion’s 2005 memoir, The Year …

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  • LitStack Recs

    LitStack Recs | We Need New Names & The UnAmericans

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 10 February, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 10 February, 2023

    We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo NoViolet Bulawayo’s powerful novel of the life of …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs | Whereabouts & Slay

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 3 February, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 3 February, 2023

    Whereabouts, a novel, by Jhumpa Lahiri This melancholy and stylish novel, Jhumpa Lahiri’s third, marks …

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  • LitStack Recs

    LitStack Recs | The Clothing of Books & The City & the City

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 27 January, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 27 January, 2023

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

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs | Spare & The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 20 January, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 20 January, 2023

    Spare, by Prince Harry The phenomenon known as Spare is barely a week old, but …

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  • Book LoveLitStack List

    A Reading List for 2023

    by Lauren Alwan 19 January, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 19 January, 2023

    Titles both recent and vintage I’m looking foward to reading this year. First up, a …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs | The Dead Fish Museum & Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 13 January, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 13 January, 2023

    The Dead Fish Museum: Stories, by Charles D’Ambrosio Of Charles D’Ambrosio and his 2006 story …

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  • Book Love

    A perfect day in the life of a book lover

    by Lauren Alwan 10 January, 2023
    by Lauren Alwan 10 January, 2023

    I’ve always admired, though never achieved, the ideal creative input as defined by François Truffaut: …

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  • LitStack Recs

    LitStack Recs | Tinkers & Pet

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 30 December, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 30 December, 2022

    Tinkers, by Paul Harding Paul Harding’s Tinkers, which won the Pulitzer Prize in 2010, tells …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs | Jerusalem:  A Cookbook and All Our Wrong Todays

    by Lauren Alwan 2 December, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan 2 December, 2022

    Jerusalem:  A Cookbook, by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi. Some cookbooks are defined by a …

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  • UncategorizedLitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs | Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays & Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 17 November, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 17 November, 2022

    Changing My Mind: Occasional Essays, by Zadie Smith As an essay reader, and writer, I …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs I Reading Like a Writer & Twisted Fairy Tales

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 28 October, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 28 October, 2022

    In this collection, published in 2006, Prose offers close readings on developing the art of …

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  • LitStack Recs

    LitStack Recs | Tiny Nightmares: Very Short Tales of Horror & Till the End

    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 21 October, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan & Sharon Browning 21 October, 2022

    Horror is a kind of hybrid form that depends on shock, fear, and sometimes repulsion, …

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  • InspirationHorror and SuspenseOf Interest

    Vote for your favorite 2022 Haunting Hook!

    by Lauren Alwan 19 October, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan 19 October, 2022

    In their latest writing contest, Dictionary.com spotlights some haunting prose We love Dictionary.com for the …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | The Films in My Life & Six-Gun Snow White

    by Lauren Alwan 22 July, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan 22 July, 2022

    The Films in My Life, by Francois Truffaut We are lucky that Francois Truffaut was …

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  • FantasyReviews by Genre

    11 Lesser-Known Fairy Tales

    by Lauren Alwan 7 June, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan 7 June, 2022

    For lovers of the fairy-tale tradition, from Mental Floss, a collection of fairy tales beyond …

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life & Monarca

    by Lauren Alwan 27 May, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan 27 May, 2022

    Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life, by William Finnegan William Finnegan’s 2016 memoir begins with an …

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  • LitStack Recs

    Litstack Recs | Delayed Rays of a Star & Space Opera

    by Lauren Alwan 6 May, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan 6 May, 2022

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

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  • LitStack RecsUncategorized

    Litstack Recs | The Portable Veblen & The Other Americans

    by Lauren Alwan 14 January, 2022
    by Lauren Alwan 14 January, 2022

    The Portable Veblen, by Elizabeth Mckenzie By way of Anne Lamott, we know the novelist …

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  • 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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