Meet Our BIPOC Scholarship Recipients
…Melanie S. Hatter, and Alice Stephens. They’ll each receive free entry to this year’s conference, which features multiple panels with noted writers, agent-pitch sessions, workshops, and a lunchtime keynote roundtable. “I am super excited about the second cohort of BIPOC scholars,” says White. “They represent diversity across race, gender, gender…
Starry Field: A Memoir of Lost History
…to move forward. The author of Famous Adopted People, Alice Stephens is searching for her own past amid the unreliable documents of the Korean adoption system. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
Our 5 Most Popular Posts: March 2024
…of the Arabic language.” Alice Stephens’ review of Mr. and Mrs. American Pie: A Novel by Juliet McDaniel (Inkshares). “The plot hums along as Maxine and Robert get married right after he is picked up in a raid at a gay bar, and they head for Palm Springs to enter…
Relinquished: The Politics of Adoption and the Privilege of American Motherhood
…should advocate for adoption reform. A first-wave Korean adoptee, Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. She is still searching for her Korean mother. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…narrative are finally revolting by speaking their own truths. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, as well as a book reviewer, essayist, short story writer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
Welcome to the Hyunam-dong Bookshop: A Novel
…lived” just the refuge they need in turbulent times. Alice Stephens is grateful for her local independently owned bookshop, Loyalty Bookstore. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…hostile world that points her in only one direction. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
Our 5 Most Popular Posts: December 2023
…23 and Me” by Alice Stephens. “This year saw the publication of a rich trove of adoptee-authored books, marking what I hope will be an industry trend of authentic narratives about adoption from those who are most qualified to write about it. Below are the 23 books that represent the…
…of family inheritance and the value of oral history. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, as well as a book reviewer, essayist, short story writer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…& Grau). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “Narrated in Insu’s straightforward voice, Skull Water feels both old-fashioned and refreshingly new. Thankfully unburdened by the overly complicated narrative structure currently favored in historical novels, the timeline is chronological, from 1974-1975, with some interim chapters narrating Big Uncle’s wartime experience. Inviting the reader…
13 Scary Stories for Halloween
…Paralkar (Catapult). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “In Night Theater, physician writer Vikram Paralkar takes the notion of physician as god to a fantastical extreme with an eerie tale of a surgeon who agrees to operate on a family of corpses — father, heavily pregnant mother, and young son — who…
Colorful Palate: A Flavorful Journey through a Mixed American Experience
…York life at the turn of the 21st century. Alice Stephens checks four boxes on her census form. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…always, even if they’re no longer on your shelf. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, as well as a book reviewer, essayist, short story writer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
8 Lives of a Century-Old Trickster
…A little more than halfway to 100 years old, Alice Stephens has had multiple lives, including that of a book reviewer, essayist, short-story writer, and novelist. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…drawn, in part, from Alice Stephens’ application essay for the National Book Critics Circle’s Emerging Critics Fellowship.] Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, as well as a book reviewer, essayist, short story writer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support…
…as close as it gets to a happy ending. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, as well as a book reviewer, essayist, short story writer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
Our 7 Most Favorable Reviews in April 2023
…and Giroux). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “We Were Once a Family is a heartbreaking and infuriating portrait of a broken system that favors family separation and punishment over social services and compassion. It’s also a galvanizing call for reform of the racist and classist policies that encourage the breakup of…
We Were Once a Family: A Story of Love, Death, and Child Removal in America
…only deepens the cracks in an already fractured society. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…and an American-soldier father, Alice Stephens was one of the many mixed-race Koreans adopted out of the country. She is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the…
…and an American-soldier father, Alice Stephens was one of the many mixed-race Koreans adopted out of the country. She is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the…
Writing against the (Main) Stream
…don’t even realize what it is that they’re missing. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, and a book reviewer. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…and an American-soldier father, Alice Stephens was one of the many mixed-race Koreans adopted out of the country. She is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the…
7 Most Favorable Reviews in December 2022
…Hur (Algonquin). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “Fairytales come from the preliterate traditions of our forebears, repeated around the tribal hearth for generations, exposing the deepest fears, fissures, and moral convictions of a culture. South Korean author Bora Chung’s U.S. debut, the short-story collection Cursed Bunny, presents vivid, bizarre, and often…
…can lift the curse of its entrenched, rigid patriarchy. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Believe in what we do? Support the nonprofit Independent!
…(7.13 Books). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “In another unconventional move, foreign words, cultural references, and other details unfamiliar to the average American reader are left unitalicized and undefined. Rather, they are incorporated into the English text in the hybrid language of an immigrant culture. Song lyrics, Bollywood movies, food, holidays,…
“An Author I’m Truly Thankful For”
…she did.” ~Dorothy Reno Alice Stephens. “I’m thankful for her continuing efforts to change the narrative of adoption (and race) in the U.S. and around the world. I often compare her to Toni Morrison in my mind because she is brilliant in her language and characterizations, unrelenting in her vision,…
…at @AliceStephensBooks. [Editor’s note: We’re not leaving Twitter, either.] Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, and a book reviewer. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
Somewhere Sisters: A Story of Adoption, Identity, and the Meaning of Family
…that is so often the impetus for foreign adoptions. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most Favorable Reviews in September 2022
…Nebraska Press). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “Each essay in Under My Bed is exquisitely structured and beautifully written, the personal substantiated by the factual, and every seeming diversion tying into the overarching theme. Although the author writes perceptively about the predicament of living while female, there were some issues that…
5 Most Popular Posts: September 2022
…for a different ending.” Alice Stephens’ review of Training School for Negro Girls by Camille Acker (The Feminist Press at CUNY). “From the mansion-lined avenues of the Gold Coast to the rundown streets of Anacostia, from the 1980s of Marion Barry’s ‘Chocolate City’ to today’s rapidly gentrifying neighborhoods of the…
An Interview with Tyler C. Gore
…plenty of stories to tell. [Photo by James Prochnik.] Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
…strength carry them past that fear and onto empowerment. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
A Conversation with Sarah Stodola
…Read the Independent’s review of The Last Resort here.] Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, and a book reviewer. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
Procrastination Is Making Me Wait
…And there are three more weeks until Labor Day. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, and a book reviewer. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
…history through which we endow our lives with meaning. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
We Measure the Earth with Our Bodies: A Novel
…and challenge the conventional narrative with her next effort. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most Favorable Reviews in May 2022
…and Co.). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “We are at a tenuous moment as a planet, as a species, and as a nation. The American experiment is racing toward its own demise, choking on resentment, hate, and greed, and soaked in ultra-violence. Dan Chaon’s latest literary thriller, Sleepwalk, presents a hair-raising…
…they are survivors. They get it from their mothers. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
…to save America once he’s saved his own soul. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
…alongside — if not replacing — Pearl Buck’s narratives. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, and a book reviewer. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most Favorable Reviews in April 2022
…Feminist Press). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “A violet is a small flower that can grow anywhere and therefore is considered by some to be a weed. In the English dictionary, San notes that violet comes after violator and violence. Those three words become entwined in her mind, and in the…
…was when Violets was originally published two decades ago. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most Favorable Reviews in March 2022
…(7.13 Books). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “The culminating story, ‘Kundalini,’ is a defiant, oracular pronouncement of the feminine creative force against men who seek to silence women, from the vindictive king of One Thousand and One Nights, who sets out to slaughter all the virgins in the land to assuage…
…to perpetuate the delusion that women are their inferiors. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Support the nonprofit Independent!
…character, my name is Alice, and I am a dedicated swimmer; more significantly, Otsuka’s The Buddha in the Attic was my first review for the Independent. So I was half in love with this new novel before reading the first line. In Otsuka’s signature style, The Swimmers is a grand…
…to consume not just India, but the whole world. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Click here to support the nonprofit…
Announcing the Adoptee Literary Festival
…us on April 9, 2022, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (EST). Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, co-facilitator for the Adoptee Voices Writing Group, and co-founder of the Adoptee Literary Festival. Help us help you help us! Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…struggle. [Editor's note: This review originally ran in 2021.] Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most Favorable Reviews in November 2021
…(Other Press). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “While the world watches the closing ceremony of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, jointly hosted by South Korea and Japan, an extraordinarily attractive student named Kim Hae-on is assaulted and left to die in a Seoul park. Two male classmates are the prime suspects:…
…& Schuster). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “Rebecca has an idyllic childhood, free to range her commune-like neighborhood of artsy counter-culturists. But there are intimations that all is not well in her household. Her parents have an open marriage, instigated and liberally exercised by her father, modeling an unhealthy dynamic as…
…she did.” ~Dorothy Reno Alice Stephens. “I’m thankful for her continuing efforts to change the narrative of adoption (and race) in the U.S. and around the world. I often compare her to Toni Morrison in my mind because she is brilliant in her language and characterizations, unrelenting in her vision,…
…the end of Da-on’s life, or maybe beyond that.” Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
An Interview with Melissa Guida-Richards
…in the system so we can all do better. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…literature, publishers must heed Adichie’s admonishment, “Many stories matter.” Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most Favorable Reviews in August 2021
…Choi (Knopf). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “The evidence of Korean influence on the American cultural landscape continues with Yoon Choi’s debut story collection, Skinship, with each of the nine stories presenting a facet of the Korean American experience, from convenience-store owners Jae and Soo Han to former piano prodigy Albert…
…disappeared past and an unattainable future. A Korean immigrant, Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Help us help you help us! Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…your truth and bend the narrative arc your way. Alice Stephens is author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Help us help you help us! Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most Favorable Reviews in June 2021
…Creek Books). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “To be an adoptee is to be a hybrid grafted onto a new family tree, an experiment in social engineering. To fully express the composite nature of the adoptee experience, Megan Culhane Galbraith has created an achingly beautiful hybrid memoir, The Guild of the…
All Sorrows Can Be Borne: A Novel
…give him away.” Loren Stephens’ debut novel, All Sorrows Can Be Borne, tells the story of that separation, which is based upon her husband’s biography. [The author is unrelated to the reviewer.] In the acknowledgments, she thanks him for giving her permission to share the tale. But it’s not really…
…identity and assimilation, and the national tale of han. Alice Stephens is a Korean immigrant, author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most Favorable Reviews in May 2021
…Daniel (Hoopoe). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “One does not have to know Egyptian history to be swept up into the thrilling, action-packed drama of the novel, for the characters are motivated by universal human emotions. Peter Daniel’s translation dexterously conveys the historical scope of the story, while imparting the distinct…
The Guild of the Infant Saviour: An Adopted Child’s Memory Book
…interpretation of a story as old as humanity itself. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel, Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…government that serves them. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel, Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. When she was a teenager, her family lived in Cairo. She still remembers the address she would give the taxi drivers to take…
7 Most-Favorable Reviews in April 2021
…Zauner (Knopf). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “Zauner is keenly aware that her good fortune is born of the tragedy of her mother’s death, which inspired the songs that would become her first album and the essays that would become her first memoir. Her facility with language, her graceful ability to…
…anticipating what will come next from its talented creator. Alice Stephens is author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. The closest H Mart is 4.7 miles from her home. Like what we do? Click here to support the…
…world. [Editor's note: This review originally ran in 2020.] Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…it is the hard work of opening a mind. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…serve as the proverbial canaries in a coal mine. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel, Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
In the Company of Men: A Novel
…of a new strain of avian flu in Russia. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel, Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
Surviving the White Gaze: A Memoir
…NABSW’s 1972 position statement, by the way, still stands. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, editor of Bloom, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
American Baby: A Mother, a Child, and the Shadow History of Adoption
…Baby provides a much-needed resource for their continuing struggle. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most-Favorable Reviews in December 2020
…(Magnetic Press). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “I must admit I harbored doubts about the graphic novel The Adoption, written by Zidrou and illustrated by Arno Monin, about a grouchy old white man, Gabriel, and his brown adopted granddaughter, Qinaya, an Aymara from Peru. It checked all the boxes for a…
…Lewis Carroll’s evergreen, ever-funny Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Indulging my love of historical fiction, I devoured Carrie Callaghan’s superb Salt the Snow, depicting the intrepid Milly Bennett’s years as a journalist, and a lover, in Soviet Russia; enjoyed every plot twist and fanciful flight of Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black; was…
…Zidrou and Monin got their adoption story just right. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
A Book I Love Giving as a Gift Is…
…women writers, Furious Gravity.” ~Alice Stephens Courting Mr. Lincoln by Louis Bayard. “This intelligent, compassionate tale of the future president’s complicated relationship with Mary Todd and Joshua Speed — arguably the two great loves of Abe’s life — represents historical fiction at its best. I’ve given it as a gift…
…there is no return. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. An immigrant of Korean and Mexican heritage, she gave birth to her first son in the Southwest borderlands. Like what we do? Click here to support…
Writing the Virus: New Work from StatORec Magazine
…down? Further afield is Alice Stephens’ account of Isamu Noguchi’s World War II internment in a camp for Japanese Americans. Noguchi was horrified by the experience, but it pushed his sculpture from straightforward busts toward the abstraction that would make him famous. In Stephens’ telling, this is cause for hope.…
…& Schuster). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “Yoon’s mission is not to educate the reader on the history of Laos, and those unfamiliar with the country must stay alert to figure out what’s going on. Other than the author’s note and a few incidental details, there is little explication of that…
…good time! Along with being an editor at Bloom, Alice Stephens is author of the novel Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
Living Color: Angie Rubio Stories
…make her world a more beautiful and just place. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel, Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
9 Spine-Tingling Tales for Halloween
…Paralkar (Catapult). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “In Night Theater, physician writer Vikram Paralkar takes the notion of physician as god to a fantastical extreme with an eerie tale of a surgeon who agrees to operate on a family of corpses — father, heavily pregnant mother, and young son — who…
…country that white Americans have long held so dear. Alice Stephens is author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
Why Novelist Alice Stephens Supports the Independent
Alice Stephens, author of the novel Famous Adopted People, also writes reviews and the popular, long-running “Alice in Wordland” column for the Independent. To hear why she has supported us for so long, and why she thinks you should support us, too, click HERE. And don’t miss your chance to…
5 Most Popular Posts: August 2020
…with JS Lee” by Alice Stephens. “Audre Lorde said it best: ‘The master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.’ For the bulk of my life, I believed that because white people are the majority in the U.S., appealing to the so-called Good White Folks would eventually lead us to…
…indeed, the excesses of contemporary, industrialized life in general. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. She has trekked with the gorillas in Uganda, and it was spectacular. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…impact. That’s the long way of saying: We’ll see. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel, Famous Adopted People, a book reviewer, and a columnist for the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
5 Most Popular Posts: June 2020
…Original Cancel Culture” by Alice Stephens. “This is our original cancel culture: white gatekeepers favoring white voices that cater to a white audience. The original cancel culture is an overwhelmingly white publishing industry that enthusiastically promotes the stories and voices that they most identify with while ignoring those that are…
…one we have. Author Alice Stephens suggested former Children’s Laureate Jaqueline Woodson’s Brown Girl Dreaming. We plan to read it next. The Secret Garden, in spite of its colonial references, is such a great book about the human heart’s ability to flower. We listened on our drive down South last…
…a writer of color, Alice Walker’s The Color Purple, which is #27 (#19 is Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, originally published as Ten Little N——-s). I could go on. And on. And on. If America wishes to become that shining example of liberal society that Ron Charles and…
7 Most-Favorable Reviews in May 2020
…(Algonquin Books). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “I love swimming precisely for the solitary nature of it. It’s not that different from reading, in that the mind becomes immersed in another reality. But not everybody is attracted to swimming for its solitary nature, as I discovered while reading Bonnie Tsui’s closely…
An Interview with Donna Hemans
…artists that have formed because of the coronavirus crisis. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…and the damage wrought when that bond is broken. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…looking-glass, and you’ll discover a different way of being.” Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most-Favorable Reviews in April 2020
…Chang (Liveright). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “While the story is recognizable to women the world over, it is a damning portrait of South Korean society in particular. From the ineffable pressure to have a son that forces Jiyoung’s mother to undergo a sex-selection abortion, to the legal precedence men enjoy…
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982: A Novel
…global translation, she’s exporting that reckoning to the world. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
With a Little Help from My Friends
…and beyond with a little help from my friends. Alice Stephens is author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Most-Favorable Reviews in January
…& Schuster). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “Yoon’s mission is not to educate the reader on the history of Laos, and those unfamiliar with the country must stay alert to figure out what’s going on. Other than the author’s note and a few incidental details, there is little explication of that…
…tale of redemption by the simple act of survival. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…to others, for that may be your only reward. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People and writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
7 Best-Reviewed Books in December 2019
…(Other Press). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “But the reader is under no illusion that Boratin’s story is meant to be true to life. Labyrinth, like many fictional works written in reaction to political oppression, is an allegory that explores the fractured nature of the individual in a society suspended between…
…will he go? To the opposite shore, of course. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People and writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
“The Best Book I Read All Year Was…”
…Sky with Exit Wounds.” ~Alice Stephens Gallows Court by Martin Edwards. “Set in 1930s London, Edwards’ new series offers some contemporary twists on an era defined as the Golden Age of Detective Fiction (of which Edwards is the leading expert). The novel is brilliantly structured, layered with darkness, and features…
…Drew (Counterpoint). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “As with the best satire, the most shocking details in the novel are the ones that are true. The tragic, horrible, bloody history of the Communist Party’s rule is thoroughly cataloged, from the land-reform campaign during Mao’s rise to power…to the famine caused by…
…Famous Adopted People by Alice Stephens are just a few that have sunk their teeth into me recently. The list is very long. In this column, I’ve tried to celebrate not only the books that change our minds, improve our worlds, or just make life more enjoyable (a tall task…
…to my work. Industry-1, Alice-0. Reviews Shortly after I signed my publishing contract, I joined a chat group for debut authors. It was edifying to read about the experiences of other writers preparing to launch their first books, and I liked the sense of camaraderie and support. However, I quickly…
…violence-torn past, pressing on ever hopeful toward the future. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
My Year of Rest and Relaxation
…well. [Editor's note: This review originally ran in 2018.] Alice Stephens’ debut novel, Famous Adopted People, came out last fall. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
An Interview with Alice Stephens
…the spine to begin Alice Stephens’ debut novel, Famous Adopted People, s/he lands in the opening scene at a Dunkin’ Donuts in downtown Seoul, where two Korean adoptees raised in America argue about finding their birth mothers. Lisa Pearl, an American teaching English in Tokyo, isn’t sure the idea is…
…way of asserting itself in embarrassing and dangerous ways. Alice Stephens is author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
5 Most Popular Posts: May 2019
…Novel,” a column by Alice Stephens. “Usually, it is painful for a writer to get negative feedback on her work. But when the criticism reflects more on the reader’s inability to interrogate her own narrow view than on my authorial talent, I hold out hope that my book may have…
…is. [Editor's note: This review originally ran in 2018.] Alice Stephens’ debut novel, Famous Adopted People, was published by Unnamed Press in October 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
The Blind Earthworm in the Labyrinth: A Novel
…reading more works emerging from Thailand’s thriving literary scene. Alice Stephens is the author of the novel Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
A People’s History of Heaven: A Novel
…the Great American Read, that distinction might not matter. Alice Stephens writes a column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland, and is the author of Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…journey to publication started with that first book review. Alice Stephens is the author of Famous Adopted People: A Novel. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
Notes from a Black Woman’s Diary: Selected Works of Kathleen Collins
…extraordinary black women who have followed in her footsteps. Alice Stephens writes a column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland, and is the author of Famous Adopted People. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
Alice Stephens in Conversation with Jenny Yacovissi
Alice Stephens, author of the new novel Famous Adopted People, will be in conversation with Jenny Yacovissi, author of Up the Hill to Home. (Both writers are also columnists for the Independent.) This event is free and open to the public. At Loyalty Bookstores pop-up, 931 Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring,…
My Year in Reading: 2018 Edition
…Famous Adopted People by Alice Stephens (reviewed here) Hard Cider by Barbara Stark-Nemon (reviewed here) Laughing Shall I Die: Lives and Deaths of the Great Vikings by Tom Shippey (reviewed here) Night-Gaunts and Other Tales of Suspense by Joyce Carol Oates (reviewed here) The New Inheritors by Kent Wascom (reviewed…
7 Best-Reviewed Books in November 2018
…at CUNY). Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “By reading this moving, eye-opening collection of stories, I feel as if I have heard and understood the author’s important and very personal revelations. Please, Camille Acker, don’t stop. I want to hear everything you have to say.” Sadie by Courtney Summers (Wednesday Books).…
Training School for Negro Girls
…I want to hear everything you have to say. Alice Stephens’ novel, Famous Adopted People, was published by Unnamed Press on October 16, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
4 Novels that Get Adoption Right
…in their hearts. A rare bout of modesty prevented Alice Stephens from including her own novel, Famous Adopted People, on this list. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
Stephens’ debut novel follows Lisa and Mindy, South Koreans and best friends since their childhood adoption by American parents. In their twenties as the novel opens, the two meet in Seoul at Mindy’s insistence to track down their birth parents. But Lisa has just lost her job teaching English in…
Famous Adopted People: A Novel
…nature of its politics. Alice Stephens’ debut novel, Famous Adopted People, harnesses these characteristics into a darkly comedic game of cat and mouse. At the center of this suspenseful story is Korean-American adoptee Lisa Pearl, who, as an adult, is abducted and taken to North Korea. She serves as both…
The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs
…Karenins. [Editor's note: This review originally ran in 2017.] Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…can sweep through a nation and tear it apart. Alice Stephens’ novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press on October 16, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…crossroad. [Editor's note: This review originally ran in 2017.] Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
Mr. and Mrs. American Pie: A Novel
…the reader chuckling right up to its happy ending. Alice Stephens’ novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press on October 16, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
5 Most Popular Posts: July 2018
…MD, in late June. Alice Stephens’ review of Everything Here Is Beautiful by Mira T. Lee. “With this tender, beautifully written novel, Mira Lee seeks to erase the stigma of mental illness by portraying it as a debilitating malady whose sufferers should be treated with the same dignity and sympathy…
…mars this brave, fresh take on the immigrant’s story. Alice Stephens’ novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press on October 16, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
My Year of Rest and Relaxation: A Novel
…we realize with horror, is our own as well. Alice Stephens’ novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press on October 16, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…troubled sea, coolly observing what’s happening on the shore. Alice Stephens’ novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press on October 16, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…all, they were the ones who raised a writer. Alice Stephens’ debut novel, Famous Adopted People, is forthcoming this fall. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…world, today. That’s just how meta this book is. Alice Stephens’ debut novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press October 16, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…of a writing family. Alice Stephens wonderfully wrote about this earlier in the month, and I’ll do my best not to rehash her column (you can, and should, read her thoughts on writing communities here), but I agree with her sentiments: Publishing is often a lonely industry. Much of it…
…the company of other writers. [Photo by Bruce Guthrie.] Alice Stephens’ debut novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press October 16, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll: One thing was certain, that the white kitten had nothing to do with it — it was the black kitten’s fault entirely. a) Something further may follow of this Masquerade. b) “I was a nice girl,” she pleaded, “wasn’t I?”…
…[Editor's note: This review originally ran in March 2017.] Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Her novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press in winter 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…[Editor's note: This review originally ran in March 2017.] Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Her novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press in winter 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…teaches the rich, white woman a small life lesson. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Her novel, Famous Adopted People, will be published by Unnamed Press in winter 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
5 Most Popular Posts: January 2018
…own conversations about race.” Alice Stephens’ review of The Perfect Nanny: A Novel by Leila Slimani. “[The author] examines the tension between guilt and self-fulfillment that many working mothers experience, especially those with consuming jobs. She probes at the stigma of the mother who outsources her sacred maternal obligation to…
…[Editor's note: This review originally ran in Feb. 2017.] Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…as the Independent’s own Alice Stephens brilliantly wrote about here), Hudson (a white man) pretended to be a Chinese woman named Yi-Fen Chou in an effort to get a poem published. And it worked! The poem, which had been rejected over and over, was accepted for publication and eventually found…
…and work, we offer here a 2014 reflection by Alice Stephens on the writer's “Beautiful Reward” speech delivered at the National Book Awards. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
Everything Here Is Beautiful: A Novel
…of a chronic illness. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. She is leading a workshop on “How to Write a Book Review That’s Not Boring” at The Writer’s Center from Jan. 25 to Feb. 22, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support…
…literature at its finest. Alice Stephens is a frequent book reviewer for the Independent. She is leading a workshop on “How to Write a Book Review That’s Not Boring” at the Writer’s Center from Jan. 25 to Feb. 22, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit…
…hire the wrong nanny. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. She is teaching a class on “How to Write a Book Review That’s Not Boring” at the Writer’s Center from Jan. 25 to Feb. 22, 2018. Like what we do? Click here to support…
…in foundling stories — that they are celebrated together. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…and feel discombobulated, wondering what the hell just happened. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland.
…it is, not as we wish it to be. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Independent.
5 Most Popular Posts: September 2017
…empires.” “Adoption Porn.” Columnist Alice Stephens knows a shallow, overused narrative when she sees it, and readers appreciated her impassioned takedown of the tired trope. “Film? Study.” E.A. Aymar turned the reins of his monthly column over to authors Radha Vatsal, Scott Adlerberg, and Dr. Marguerite Rippy to get their…
…notable novels, some of them even written by women. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
The Exact Nature of Our Wrongs: A Novel
…saves it from the tragic fate of the Karenins. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…and clichés to become masters of their own destinies. Alice Stephens knows that honest novels on the transracial-adoption experience exist because she has written one. Despite dozens of submissions, the novel is still seeking a publisher. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…is now a woman-child, but still at a crossroad. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…this time by his own well-meaning but misguided creator. Alice Stephens is a transracial adoptee, but no trophy kid, and thanks her parents for not using the broken-windows method on her. She writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support…
5 Most Popular Posts: June 2017
…in a row, columnist Alice Stephens reigns supreme, this time for her insightful look at literature, cultural appropriation, and the lessons of history. Josh Trapani’s review of Astrophysics for People in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson. “Tyson also has a knack for providing compelling tidbits that stick in your…
5 Most Popular Posts: May 2017
“One True Story.” Columnist Alice Stephens’ call for us to embrace global cultures’ literature struck a chord with readers all month long. Nick Wolven’s review of Not a Scientist: How Politicians Mistake, Misrepresent, and Utterly Mangle Science by Dave Levitan. “Levitan sees [Ronald] Reagan’s trope as a hallmark of science…
Writing Outside the Color Lines
…of Will’s op-ed indicates, distraction is probably their intent. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…of human connection, and home is wherever you are. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…it within herself to break the cycle of shame. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Washington Independent Review of Books. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…the stories of others. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Washington Independent Review of Books. She will appear on the “Across the Cultural Divide” panel at this year's Washington Writers Conference on Sat., Apr. 29th, in College Park, MD. Like what we do? Click here to…
South and West: From a Notebook
…addicted to name brands. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Washington Independent Review of Books. She will appear on the “Across the Cultural Divide” panel at this year's Washington Writers Conference on Sat., Apr. 29th, in College Park, MD. Like what we do? Click here to…
…He’s just not believable. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Washington Independent Review of Books. She will appear on the “Across the Cultural Divide” panel at this year's Washington Writers Conference on Sat., Apr. 29th, in College Park, MD. Like what we do? Click here to…
…tonight, Mar. 10th, at 7PM. Click here for info.] Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Washington Independent Review of Books. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…of tender, gentle creatures. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Washington Independent Review of Books. She will appear on the “Across the Cultural Divide” panel at this year's Washington Writers Conference on Sat., Apr. 29th, in College Park, MD. Like what we do? Click here to…
…of unequal relationships, whether they be literary or romantic. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…A new installment of Alice Stephens’ monthly blog, Alice in Wordland. Friday: A review of The Girl in the Garden by Melanie Wallace. Get the scoop on all our upcoming book reviews, author interviews, and features! Click here to sign up for the Independent’s free biweekly e-newsletter. And follow us…
…encounter her again, and maybe for the first time. Alice Stephens’ column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly in the Independent. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
An Interview with Maria Leonard Olsen
…Carroll St., NW, Washington, DC. Click here for info.] Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…it would read: “You will soon win many awards.” Alice Stephens writes a monthly column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. She avoids fortune cookies. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…society, The Extra will be a fascinating, absorbing read. Alice Stephens writes a monthly column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Like what we do? Click here to support the nonprofit Independent!
…look old enough to get served at the bar. Alice Stephens writes a monthly column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland.
…Devil and the blurry boundary between superstition and religion. Alice Stephens writes a monthly column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland.
Let us now praise Alice. That is, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, that masterpiece of English literature written by Lewis Carroll (the pseudonym of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), first published in 1865. To mark the sesquicentennial, the University of Maryland at College Park’s Hornbake Library is hosting an exhibition, “Alice 150 Years…
…China Club or some fancy Italian restaurant in Central.” Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Follow her on twitter at @AliceKSStephens.
…today, The Incarnations is a powerhouse of a novel. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Be a pioneer and follow her on twitter at @AliceKSStephens.
…called out the name “Alice Stephens” and looked everywhere but at me; by everyone who refused to believe my siblings when they introduced me as their sister; by each nosy stranger who thought it was her right to demand I explain myself; by every person who let me know that…
A Thousand Miles to Freedom: My Escape from North Korea
…she and her compatriots will have the last laugh. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Be a pioneer and follow her on twitter at @AliceKSStephens.
The Making of Zombie Wars: A Novel
…privileged white boy stumbling toward maturity too many times. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Be a pioneer and follow her on twitter at @AliceKSStephens.
5 Most Popular Posts: April 2015
…Dovekeepers: A Novel by Alice Hoffman. It’s not that we aren’t glad you enjoyed Rhoda Trooboff’s review so much. We are. It’s just that it first ran four years ago. Keep up, people. Keep up. A review of Raising Kids Who Read: What Parents and Teachers Can Do by Daniel…
…past these jade-and-silk dramas and into the 21st century? Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Be a pioneer and follow her on twitter at @AliceKSStephens.
…VIDA Count (or columnist Alice Stephens’ take on it). Maybe you follow literary issues in the paper or online. Or maybe you’ve just noticed how lily-white most “recommended books” lists tend to be. Whatever the reason, you know there’s a serious diversity deficit in the stories we’re reading — and…
…memoir, The Absolutely 100% True Autobiographical Life Story of Alice Stephens, never actually happened. Save yourself the lawsuits. Don't publish it.
Meet Me in Venice: A Chinese Immigrant’s Journey from the Far East to the Faraway West
…actual human cost of what we wear and eat. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland. Be a pioneer and follow her on twitter at @AliceKSStephens.
…I will want to land on again and again. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland.
…Chuck Palahniuk. Reviewed by Alice Stephens. “If you are squeamish about the subjects of masturbation, sexual arousal, orgasms, and anatomical analyses of female genitalia, then Beautiful You is not for you. Even if you are interested in these subjects, this book is likely not for you. If you just love…
…had paid off with nothing but a serious STD. Alice Stephens writes a regular column for the Independent, Alice in Wordland.
…Book section, regular columnists (Alice Stephens, Larry De Maria, E.A. Aymar, Ron Goldfarb, and Darrell Delamaide), and a Book Club Hub. All without interrupting the daily diet of first-class book reviews, author interviews, and features. But here’s the harsh truth: We’re a nonprofit, and that means nearly everyone — writers,…
…an invisible, indestructible spirit within its visible, vulnerable body.” Alice Stephens is a regular contributor to the Independent. Her column, Alice in Wordland, appears monthly.
…that no one, not even the reader, can breach. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to the Independent.
The Valley of Amazement: A Novel
…and concubines, without even the dignity of historical verisimilitude. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to the Independent.
…like “Pulp Fiction” meets Alice in Wonderland—with Billy Idol starring as a pivotal character. With a rebel yell, I cried, “more, more, more” when I turned the last page.Salinger by David Shields and Shane Salerno (Simon & Schuster). An oral biography of the elusive writer that’s bigger than a phone…
…the MFA: So advises Alice Stephens, who instead tells aspiring novelists to read, work, travel, and write. I’ve heard so many mixed things about getting an MFA, but one thing’s for sure: taking Alice’s advice will lead to a lot less debt. 4) What’s the one thing the Independent has…
After patiently listening to my lamentations on the unpublished state of a novel that I finished more than a year ago, many well-meaning friends advise me to get an MFA. People, I KNOW how to write. Presidents, provosts, and university boards have been rubbing their hands and licking their lips…
The Independent’s Top 5 September Posts
…also introduced three new bloggers—Alice Stephens, Darrell Delamaide, and Larry DeMaria—and a variety of fun new features from our Beyond the Book editor, Holly Smith. The Smithsonian may be closed, federal agency websites down, and good luck getting your new passport ... but we will keep going strong through October.…
Someone once described Alice as the raisin in the oatmeal Dear (powerful agent, preferably with Hollywood connections): A, my name is Alice, I’ve lived in America, Africa, and Asia, and I’m an aspiring author. Below please see the outline of my proposed memoir, The Letter A, each chapter of which…
…of our regular contributors: Alice Stephens, Larry De Maria, and Darrell Delamaide. Plus, you’ll notice more from our new Beyond the Book editor, Holly Smith, and other friends, on the site (for a start: check out Carrie Callaghan‘s list of books to get you in the mood for back to…
…voyage, then let Paul Yoon show you the way. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to The Independent.
…responsibilities that men are not strong enough to bear. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to the Independent.
Interview with Jennifer Gilmore
…way I knew how to make the ending true. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to The Independent.
For a Song and a Hundred Songs
…name in the long list of China’s fallen dynasties. Alice Stephens is a regular contributor to The Independent.
…of conventionality, a middle finger waved at the mainstream. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to the Independent.
…husband. It is an existence as flat as papad. Alice Stephens in a frequent contributor to The Independent.
…Johnson. Our review by Alice Stephens is here.2) POETRY: Stag’s Leap by Sharon Olds. Grace Cavalieri reviewed this work as part of September’s Exemplars: Poetry Reviews.3) GENERAL NONFICTION: Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America by Gilbert King. Our review by…
…magic, at least for the time being.” Magic, indeed. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to the Washington Independent Review of Books.
…good fortune that it is now available in English. Alice Stephens is a regular contributor to The Independent.
…who is just another subject in his grand experiment. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to The Washington Independent Review of Books.
…that resonates with the adult in all of us. Alice Stephens is a regular contributor to the Washington Independent Review of Books.
…will attain her rightful place in the Promised Land. Alice Stephens is a frequent contributor to The Independent.
Reviewed by Alice StephensIn modern times, nationality is as intrinsic a part of identity as age and sex. Names can change and so can spouses, professions and addresses, but not one’s country. Nevertheless, nations are not permanent. Some die, some are born, some divide into two, some are devoured by…
…of marriage to Hatita Alice Dolbow. The union of a white woman and a Chinese man was so bizarre that it made the headlines of both The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Baltimore Sun.In fact, the author found countless examples of rampant racism and shoddy journalism in newspapers from all over…
Ways of Forgetting, Ways of Remembering: Japan in the Modern World
…is remembered and not the one that is forgotten. Alice Stephens lived in Nagasaki, Japan, for four years.
Reviewed by Alice StephensUsing the proverb “Women hold up half the sky” as his slogan, Mao Zedong launched a movement to raise the status of women in China shortly after the Communists took power in 1949. A series of reform acts allowed women to choose their own husbands, divorce, own…
…he purports to condemn. ~Alice Stephens The Lola Quartet by Emily St. John Mandel Unbridled 288 pp The Lola Quartet is a novel about the mistakes of the past, and the frustration and discouragement that youths face as they leave the nest and make their way in the world. At…
Reviewed by Alice StephensSummer is coming and with it the prospect of vacation, and the piles of books that have been saved up to be read during those few, precious days of freedom. If vacationing with extended family, however, beware of packing Mark Haddon’s latest novel, The Red House, in…
…editorial assistant to copy editor to freelance travel writer, Alice Stephens has had a long and varied career working with the written word. She has recently completed a historical novel set in Nagasaki, Japan.
Reviewed by Alice Stephens In the late 19th century, Japanese laborers were recruited to work the sugar plantations of Hawaii, and some of them made their way to the mainland as cheap labor for the farms and burgeoning cities of the West, particularly California. In 1907, the so-called “Gentleman’s Agreement”…
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