Books

Follows you (block)

Requested to follow you (accept | block)

Blocked (unblock)

Leigh Newman

Leigh Newman

has 42 followers and is following 41 people

I'm a fiction writer whose shorter work has appeared in Tin House, One Story, The Northwest Review, The New Orleans Review, Fiction and Opium. Right now, I'm at work on a novel. I love to read—classics to small indie contemporary. I teach college-level ficition and am always looking to talk about books. In another life, I'll be a librarian or... more »
  • member since November 5, 2007

Groups

Following

Leigh Newman’s last login was Thursday, September 23, 2010.

Random books from my shelf

     
 
 
 

Public Notes

  • The Ancient One

    The Ancient One says

    A Child in the Garden

    When to the garden of untroubled thought
    I came of late, and saw the open door,
    And wished again to enter, and explore
    The sweet, wild ways with stainless bloom inwrought,
    And bowers of innocence with beauty fraught,
    It seemed some purer voice must speak before
    I dared to tread that garden loved of yore,
    That Eden lost unknown and found unsought.

    Then just within the gate I saw a child, --
    A stranger-child, yet to my heart most dear;
    He held his hands to me, and softly smiled
    With eyes that knew no shade of sin or fear:
    "Come in," he said, "and play awhile with me;"
    "I am the little child you used to be."

    - Henry Van Dyke

    posted 2 years ago. ( send a note )
  • Marilyn S

    Marilyn S says

    Hi Leigh :) I see we are both fans of the fabulous, ingenious, Roald Dahl . I would love to discuss his books with you or...well...really ANYTHING about books/reading/writing. :) Hope we can become friends...

    posted 3 years ago. ( send a note )
  • RodneyPWelch

    RodneyPWelch says

    Thanks Leigh -- for what it's worth I love all of O'Connor, as well as Notes from the Underground, Handful of Dust, Housekeeping, Midnight's Children, The Quick and the Dead and Tree of Smoke

    posted 3 years ago. ( send a note )
  • Elizabeth O

    Elizabeth O says

    Hi Leigh - happy to be Shelfari friends :) Looks like we enjoy a lot of the same books... It's good to here that you appreciate Housekeeping. A lot of people have a hard time getting into it, but I think her writing is incredible. I recommend her other and much later novel Gilead as well (though I've found that most people have, if anything, a harder time getting into it).

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • juli s

    juli s says

    Wow. Tin House eh? I am impressed. (not that the others aren't impressive too- I'm just most familiar w/Tin House)

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • dreamertambien

    dreamertambien says

    Hi Leigh, Sorry about all my confusion last night. I also just joined the feminist group. I was trying to decide which book i would read first, but I think you solved that problem by asking about The Inheritance of Loss. I have not read that one and will check out if our local library has it. I am in the process of packing up my household and also my Mother's household for a move. So i have already sorted and packed most of the books leaving me feeling bereft of their soothing company. Gotta go, Take Care

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • dreamertambien

    dreamertambien says

    HiLleigh, sorry I must have been asleep , i did not see your note, only the friendship request, duh. it is the middle of the night here. Are you a night owl too. Would love to get to know you better, will write more when i am more coherent. Take Care.

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • dreamertambien

    dreamertambien says

    Hello, thanks for the friendship request. Why me? Take care

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • jillmarie

    jillmarie says

    Thank you for the request. I'm travel-lit bingin'
    right now..LOL..just finished The Zanzibar Chest..brilliant read..and am into Geert Mak's In Europe right now...enjoying that too..the year in reading is off to a great start...

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • lalarabbit

    lalarabbit says

    Accidentally clicked the "send" twice, sorry!

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • lalarabbit

    lalarabbit says

    Hi Leigh, thanks for adding me and sorry for this delayed reply! Yes, I'm a big fan of Mansfield, too. Her language follows a rhythm that makes me feel well sync-ed and at home, and I love the very often charming endings to most of her short stories, stories that frequently leave a hint of smile on my face when I move onto the next beginning. Zoo keeper is an excellent idea, as well as being a librarian! Both offer diverse varieties of presentations to a curious mind. No, I'm not a writer myself. Reading is a joy that I feel rather contented with.

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • lalarabbit

    lalarabbit says

    Hi Leigh, thanks for adding me and sorry for this delayed reply! Yes, I'm a big fan of Mansfield, too. Her language follows a rhythm that makes me feel well sync-ed and at home, and I love the very often charming endings to most of her short stories, stories that frequently leave a hint of smile on my face when I move onto the next beginning. Zoo keeper is an excellent idea, as well as being a librarian! Both offer diverse varieties of presentations to a curious mind. No, I'm not a writer myself. Reading is a joy that I feel rather contented with.

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • Icedream

    Icedream says

    Hi Leigh,
    Thanks for the friends request. I think we share more than reading habits in common, I used to be an old sourdough but moved away. Do you have a general interest in AK or do you live there?

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • evangeline

    evangeline says

    In my next life, I'm going to be a curator at the Country Music or Rock Hall of Fame. I'm on a Burrito Brothers binge right now...vinyl and cd. Did you read the piece about how to write a short story in the latest Oxford American? I think your class might enjoy it. Fiction writing was one of my favorite courses in college.

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • Chris Tusa

    Chris Tusa says

    I loved Sweet Mister. Just as poetic, bleak, and rural as Faulkner, the narrator is extremely unique, and the ending is very courageous. It's one of my favorites. Give it a go, and let me know what you think.

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • Chris Tusa

    Chris Tusa says

    Glad to meet you, Leigh. I'm always to make a new friend who loves Faulkner:) Have you read Death of Sweet Mister by chance?

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • mmolino54

    mmolino54 says

    Re: The Corrections--I enjoyed it a good bit, but there was something about it that slightly rubbed me the wrong way. It was too clever, I think--like when you meet someone who understands something intellectually, but doesn't really have the emotional level or maturity to discuss it. Franzen is a little too much of a navel-gazing victim sometimes for me. The story was very entertaining and I like Franzen's sense of humor. What are you reading these days?
    -marc

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )
  • Ellipsis

    Ellipsis says

    Leigh, thanks for the invitation. I write fiction also and I've had a bit of a hankering to teach lately so I look forward to talking with you.

    posted 4 years ago. ( send a note )