Five Debut Novelists To Put On Your Reading List

January 18, 2012 9:22 am
The publishing industry may be in turmoil right now, but that hasn’t stopped the latest crop of intrepid emerging fiction writers from making their mark. Here are five bright new voices, each with a debut novel published in 2011, to look out for in the coming years:
 
Justin Torres, author of We the Animals
This debut novel, which tells a gripping coming-of-age story centered around three brothers, announces the arrival of a skilled and innovative new writer. Torres has already garnered a number of literary honors, including a Stegner Fellowship in Fiction at Stanford, and the rave reviews of We the Animals mark him as a novelist to watch.
 
Kevin Wilson, author of The Family Fang
Wilson’s The Family Fang, which chronicles the adventures of a theatrical family, has already been optioned by Nicole Kidman for a feature film. This fast-paced, funny novel tells the story of eccentric performance artists Caleb and Camille Fang and their two children. Wilson combines black comedy with human pathos in an unforgettable way. 
 
Tea Obreht, author of The Tiger’s Wife
Not only did Obreht’s The Tiger’s Wife earn her a spot on The New Yorker’s best American fiction writers under forty list, the book was also a National Book Award Finalist in 2011. The Tiger’s Wife, tells the story of Natalia, a young doctor working in a Balkan orphanage by the sea. Obreht weaves a narrative dense with unforgettable images, characters, and connections across time. 
 
Chad Harbach, author of The Art of Fielding
Harbach’s The Art of Fielding has generated a significant amount of buzz and critical praise. The novel centers on college baseball star Henry Skrimshander as he strives toward his dream of achieving Big League stardom. Harbache’s refined prose and vivid characters distinguish him as an up-and-coming writer to put your must-read list. 
 
Eleanor Henderson, author of Ten Thousand Saints
Henderson’s Ten Thousand Saints landed on a lot of high-ranking lists this past year, including the New York Times Book Review’s Top 10 Books of 2011 list and O Magazine’s Top 5 Fiction list. The novel, set in the 1980’s, explores the life of a young man who moves from Vermont to New York after his best friend dies of a drug over-dose. After reading Ten Thousand Saints, you’ll eagerly anticipate more from this exciting new writer.
 

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Feed Your Eyes With a Healthy Diet

January 10, 2012 9:11 am

To protect your vision, get your eyes checked once a year. But you can do more than that: simply eating a healthy, balanced diet will help ensure that your trip to the eye doctor is quick, painless and worry-free.

Start with orange juice and green vegetables. They are packed with vitamin C, which helps fight glaucoma, and the heavy dose of antioxidants will guard against macular degeneration.

While you’re at it, remember the color orange; carrots, sweet potatoes, and other orange fruits/vegetables are high in beta carotene, which is a building block for vitamin A. Vitamin A strengthens your corneas and helps prevent night blindness.

Salmon, flax seeds, walnuts, and avocado are good sources of Omega 3 fatty acids. Besides preventing dry eye syndrome, this beneficial fat helps heart and brain health!

You’re not limited to meals, either. Think of all the finger foods you can snack on throughout the day—citrus fruits, broccoli, peaches, mangoes, garlic, chickpeas . . . with every bite, your eyes get stronger. So get that annual eye exam, but “feed” your eyes every day. Bon appetit!

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Save Some Green: Safely Skip Organic Versions of These Vegetables

December 28, 2011 9:16 am

With all of the hubbub about organic produce, the truth is that you don’t have to buy organic everything to eat healthfully. Organic growing methods make a big difference in some produce and virtually no difference in others. If you’re looking to save a little money, here are five vegetables that are safe and delicious when conventionally grown:

  • Onions are a bulb vegetable and they absorb very little pesticide through the growing process. In addition, growing onions organically is very expensive, as their stalks are vulnerable to a wide variety of insects.
  • Sweet corn is also very acceptable to purchase conventionally-grown. While there's a great deal of concern over genetically-modified corn in the open market, the majority of sweet corn is not GMO and can be consumed with confidence.
  • Avocados are also a food that grows better under conventional techniques. The thick skin of the fruit prevents contamination from airborne pesticides, and considering that the vast majority of avocados are grown abroad it’s difficult to find affordable organic options.
  • Sweet potatoes, unlike standard potatoes, are fine to eat conventionally-grown. The less starchy flesh is less likely to absorb toxins through the soil.
  • Cabbage has thickly-packed leaves don’t hold pesticides and chemicals like lettuces do.

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