First Words: Earliest Writing from Favorite Contemporary Authors

by Paul Mandelbaum, Amiri Baraka, Louis Auchincloss, Margaret Atwood, Roy Blount Jr. Narrated by David Ackroyd

Overview

Many kids write stories, but only a few of them grow up to be successful authors. Before there was Carrie, there was “ Johnathan and the Witchs.” And before there was Rabbit Angstrom, Toyota dealer, there was Manuel Cirarro, famous detective. Could we have seen the seeds of success in Stephen King's and John Updike's juvenilia? These young writers are the same people who dominated the best seller lists and occupy the most celebrated spots on bookshelves in our stores, libraries, and homes. Here is a funny and surprisingly informative gathering of childhood creations by celebrated writers- authors who were amused by and happy to share their own early efforts.

¿ Kevin McCarthy reads Allan Gurganus
¿ Judith Ivey reads Margaret Atwood
¿ Andre Braugher reads Amiri Baraka
¿ Alfre Woodward reads Gloria Naylor
¿ Elliott Gould reads Pat Conroy
¿ Susan Anspach reads Joyce Carol Oates
¿ Roger Rees reads Gore Vidal
¿ Daphne Zuniga reads Susan Minot
¿ Nana Visitor reads Ursula K. Le Guin
¿ Kevin McCarthy reads John Hersey
¿ Melissa Manchester reads Rita Dove
¿ Elliott Gould reads Stephen King
¿ Amy Tan reads Amy Tan
¿ David Ackroyd reads Norman Mailer
¿ Joel Grey reads Paul Bowles
¿ Maxine Hong Kingston reads Maxine Hong Kingston
¿ Arte Johnson reads Roy Blount Jr.
¿ Andre Braugher reads Charles Johnson
¿ Roger Rees reads William Styron
¿ Harvey Fierstein reads Stanley Elkin
¿ Samantha Eggar reads Madeleine L' Engle
¿ David Ackroyd reads Louis Auchincloss
¿ Jeff Fahey reads Fred Chappell
¿ Harvey Fierstein reads Tobias Wolff
¿ Tim Matheson reads W.P. Kinsella
¿ Jean Smart reads Gail Godwin
¿ Jeff Fahey reads Stephen Dixon
¿ Andre Braugher reads Vance Bourjaily
¿ Elliott Gould reads John Updike

Kevin McCarthy reads Allan Gurganus
Judith Ivey reads Margaret Atwood
Andre Braugher reads Amiri Baraka
Alfre Woodward reads Gloria Naylor
Elliott Gould reads Pat Conroy
Susan Anspach reads Joyce Carol Oates
Roger Rees reads Gore Vidal
Daphne Zuniga reads Susan Minot
Nana Visitor reads Ursula K. Le Guin
Kevin McCarthy reads John Hersey
Melissa Manchester reads Rita Dove
Elliott Gould reads Stephen King
Amy Tan reads Amy Tan
David Ackroyd reads Norman Mailer
Joel Grey reads Paul Bowles
Maxine Hong Kingston reads Maxine Hong Kingston
Arte Johnson reads Roy Blount Jr.
Andre Braugher reads Charles Johnson
Roger Rees reads William Styron
Harvey Fierstein reads Stanley Elkin
Samantha Eggar reads Madeleine L' Engle
David Ackroyd reads Louis Auchincloss
Jeff Fahey reads Fred Chappell
Harvey Fierstein reads Tobias Wolff
Tim Matheson reads W.P. Kinsella
Jean Smart reads Gail Godwin
Jeff Fahey reads Stephen Dixon
Andre Braugher reads Vance Bourjaily
Elliott Gould reads John Updike

Editorial Reviews

Library Journal

This anthology of juvenilia from 42 of America's most promising writers is valuable chiefly for the light it sheds on the wellsprings of inspiration from which many adult literary works have emerged. Mandelbaum provides a provocative introductory essay on the value of juvenilia, with notes throughout on the connections between an author's childhood writing and his or her later works. Although the reader may not always make the same connections, and although some of the excerpts, such as Vance Bourjaily's Not To Confound My Elders and John Updike's Untitled Mystery seem overly long, the commentary is knowledgeable and the selections highly original. Also, the book features photos of these current American writers, which include best-selling authors (Louis Auchincloss, Stephen King, Michael Crichton), black authors (Charles Johnson, Gloria Naylor), as well as such prominent figures as Isaac Asimov, Joyce Carol Oates, and William Styron. For general readers.-- Marie L. Lally, Alabama Sch . of Mathematics & Science, Mobile

Product Details

BN ID:	2940175931014
Publisher:	Phoenix Books, Inc.
Publication date:	10/01/1995
Edition description:	Unabridged

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