Jane Mendelsohn

Jane Mendelsohn (born 1965) is an American author. Her novels are known for their mythic themes, poetic imagery, and allegorical content. Her novel I Was Amelia Earhart was a surprise international bestseller in 1996 and short-listed for the Orange Prize.

Background and personal life

Mendelsohn was born in New York City, the daughter of a psychiatrist and an art historian. She graduated from Horace Mann High School in New York and graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from Yale University in 1987. She attended Yale Law School for one year before beginning a career as a writer/journalist. She has worked as an assistant to the literary editor at The Village Voice and as a tutor at Yale University. Mendelsohn is married and lives in New York with her husband, producer Nick Davis, and two daughters. .^[1]

Novels

• I Was Amelia Earhart (1996)
• Innocence (2000)
• American Music (2010)

Critical Appraisal and Awards

I Was Amelia Earhart garnered almost universal critical acclaim, with many reviewers admiring the book’s poetic and mythic qualities. Shortly after publication, Don Imus praised the book on his radio program, and the novel became a sensation, appearing on the New York Times best seller list for 14 weeks in 1996. The book was shortlisted for the 1997 Orange Prize.

The reviews for Innocence were also positive. Some reviewers admired the allegorical qualities of the gothic horror tale and the poetry of the writing, while others read the book as straightforward genre. The book is currently being made into a feature film produced by Killer Films, directed by Hilary Brougher, starring Kelly Reilly.

The praise for American Music was nearly universal, with many critics calling it a return to form and commending Mendelsohn for her haunting and lyrical style and her storytelling abilities.

Awards

• Shortlisted for the 1997 Orange Prize ^[2]

References