Melissa Duclos

Nonfiction

Anne Lamott discusses grief and forgiveness in Small Victories

Anne Lamott has become known for her ability to write about such diverse topics as becoming a single mother after recovering from addiction, her son as a teenaged father, the craft of writing, and her faith with openness, grace and self-deprecating humor. In the 35 years since her first book…

Melissa DuclosDecember 5, 2014

Nonfiction

From salesgirl to flamenco dancer in a foot-stomping firecracker of a memoir

Nellie Bennett, author of Only in Spain: A Foot-Stomping, Firecracker of a Memoir about Food, Flamenco, and Falling in Love (Sourcebooks, July) asked a question that led her to chase her dreams all the way from a dreary job at a department store in Sydney, Australia to the dance floors…

Melissa DuclosJuly 29, 2014

Nonfiction

Too hot to cook? Avocado Soup with Greek Yogurt, no cooking involved

Mid-July, when temperatures creep up and your bare skin greets the sun, is a good time to think about healthy eating. Between the backyard barbecue and the heat that keeps you from wanting to cook, it’s a hard time to stick to a healthy diet. Let’s face it: salads can…

Melissa DuclosJuly 20, 2014

Nonfiction

How the Internet has changed parenting — and parents

JULIA FIERRO From online forums, message boards, and chat rooms, to blogs and social media, there is no question that the Internet has changed what it means to be a parent. Parents now have new access to information and online communities and support, though at the same time by participating…

Melissa DuclosJuly 20, 2014

Nonfiction

Oh, baby, what a shower gift! Honest books for expectant mothers

Crib sheets. Burp cloths. Receiving blankets. Diapers. These are useful items, for sure, but not exactly inspiring on the subject of motherhood. If you’re shopping for a baby shower, consider giving a gift that will provide the expectant mother a bit of comfort and insight as she approaches this major…

Melissa DuclosJuly 14, 2014

Nonfiction

Coming of age with Catcher in the Rye author, J.D. Salinger

Catcher in the Rye—the quintessential coming of age novel—made J.D. Salinger one of the most famous American authors of all time. Though it was first published almost 65 years ago, it is still an iconic book in the American canon, and its once reclusive author, who died in 2010, still…

Melissa DuclosJune 15, 2014

Book Club Network Book Club Network - Featured1 Miscellany

Bonding over books: How to start a mother-daughter book club

Back in February, I posted a quick guide to setting up a successful book club, based on my own wonderful experiences with my book club. My daughter, at eighteen months, is perhaps a bit too young to join the club, but I love the idea of starting a mother-daughter club…

Melissa DuclosMay 5, 2014

Fiction

Why the geometry of the love triangle pulls us in

Contained within the simple geometry of a love triangle are all the ingredients for an engrossing plot. There are characters (desired and desiring, therefore compelling); conflict (fights and lies and changes of heart); and resolution (someone will win, someone will lose, the triangle will be broken apart). Is it any…

Melissa DuclosApril 1, 2014

Nonfiction

Taking care of our parents, and ourselves

“In any given year, almost 30% of the U.S. population will be caring for an ill, disabled, or aging friend or family member.” So we are informed by Ariel Gore in her new memoir The End of Eve (Hawthorne Books, March). She goes on to explain: “The typical caregiver, it…

Melissa DuclosMarch 4, 2014

Miscellany

It’s (no, not its) National Grammar Day!

Americans have a strange relationship with grammar. Anyone who spends a significant amount of time on Facebook, or perusing the comments section on YouTube (or any website, really, where people are allowed to comment) might conclude that as a culture, we are losing our grasp on the English language. Does…

Melissa DuclosMarch 4, 2014

Book Club Network Book Club Network - Featured1 Miscellany

A quick guide to a kick-ass book club

Book clubs have a bad reputation among people who like to read, mocked for being a nice excuse to sit with your friends and drink wine, but certainly not an opportunity to talk about books with fellow bibliophiles. At least, this is what I thought before I joined one. I…

Melissa DuclosFebruary 3, 2014

Fiction

Lessons from Ann Patchett for the new year

Perhaps a more accurate title for Ann Patchett’s latest book, This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage (HarperCollins, November), would be This Is More Than the Story of a Happy Marriage. A collection of essays on writing, her dog, divorce, and yes, her now happy marriage, the book isn’t…

Melissa DuclosJanuary 7, 2014

Melissa Duclos

Anne Lamott discusses grief and forgiveness in Small Victories

From salesgirl to flamenco dancer in a foot-stomping firecracker of a memoir

Too hot to cook? Avocado Soup with Greek Yogurt, no cooking involved

How the Internet has changed parenting — and parents

Oh, baby, what a shower gift! Honest books for expectant mothers

Coming of age with Catcher in the Rye author, J.D. Salinger

Bonding over books: How to start a mother-daughter book club

Why the geometry of the love triangle pulls us in

Taking care of our parents, and ourselves

It’s (no, not its) National Grammar Day!

A quick guide to a kick-ass book club

Lessons from Ann Patchett for the new year

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