Anne Lamott

Anne Lamott (born April 10, 1954) is a novelist and non-fiction writer. She is also a political activist, public speaker and writing teacher. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, her nonfiction works are largely autobiographical. Marked by their self-deprecating humor and openness, Lamott's writings cover such subjects as alcoholism, single motherhood, depression and Christianity.[1]

Contents

Biography

Lamott was born in San Francisco, and is a graduate of Drew School. Her father, Kenneth Lamott, was also a writer. His death was the focus of her first published novel Hard Laughter. She has one son, Sam, who was born in 1989 and a grandson, Jax.

Lamott's life was documented in Freida Lee Mock's 1999 documentary Bird by Bird with Annie: A Film Portrait of Writer Anne Lamott.[2] Because of the documentary and her following on Facebook and other online networks, she is often called the "People's Author".[3]

Lamott has described why she writes:

I try to write the books I would love to come upon, that are honest, concerned with real lives, human hearts, spiritual transformation, families, secrets, wonder, craziness—and that can make me laugh. When I am reading a book like this, I feel rich and profoundly relieved to be in the presence of someone who will share the truth with me, and throw the lights on a little, and I try to write these kinds of books. Books, for me, are medicine.[4]

Lamott is cited as a writer who captures well the style of narrative nonfiction called particularism, coined by Howard Freeman.[5]

Bibliography

Novels

Non-fiction

References

  1. ^ Lamott, Anne. "My son, the stranger". Salon. http://www.salon.com/mwt/feature/2006/05/22/lamott_fight_son/. Retrieved 2008-03-08. 
  2. ^ Freida Lee Mock (Director) (1999-08-01). Bird by Bird with Annie (Documentary). Vanguard International Cinema. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0202259/. 
  3. ^ Smiley, Tavis (14 April 2010). Interview with Anne Lamott (PBS). http://www.pbs.org/kcet/tavissmiley/archive/201004/20100414.html. Retrieved 14 April 2010. 
  4. ^ "Quote of the Day". Religion Blog. Dallas Morning News. 2008-02-10. http://religion.beloblog.com/archives/2008/02/quote_of_the_day_60.html. 
  5. ^ http://www.speakingofstories.org/Author%20Bios/Annie%20LaMott.htm

Further reading

External links