Topic of the Week: The power of language in literature May 16, 2009

Topic of the Week for May 18-22, 2009:
The Power of Language in Literature

Emily St. John Mandel

What are books, but a collection of words arranged to relay meaning. Language is the vehicle that conveys the words, and more. Language is more than the spoken or written word, but the emotions, feelings and mystical connections between the lines.

In her beautifully written debut novel, Last Night in Montreal, Emily St. John Mandel creates a tableau of words unspoken, mysteries left hanging for readers to wonder, and messages glimmering in the subtext. As her protagonist searches for his girlfriend who vanished into a New York morning, the reader is urged alongside, suspended by the beauty of the language in its conveyance of clues.

Emily will join us for LitChat on May 22, where she’ll talk about her debut novel, Last Night in Montreal, and the power of language in literature.

Emily St. John Mandel was born on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada, in 1979. She studied dance at The School of Toronto Dance Theatre and lived briefly in Montreal before relocating to New York. She lives in Brooklyn.

You may follow her on Twitter at @emilymandel.