Molly McGrann
Encyclopedia
Molly McGrann is an American literary critic
, poet
, and novelist. She is an alumna of Skidmore College
and New York University
. She lives in England
.
, in 1995, and went on to receive an MFA
in Creative Writing
from New York University
in New York City
She is a literary critic and the author of two novels.
In December 1998, McGrann married musician Colin Greenwood
, in Oxford
, England
. They live in a small village in Oxfordshire
with their three sons, Jesse, Asa and Henry.
for The Paris Review. She has also had poems published in various literary magazine
s including TriQuarterly
and Arion. She is a London
Editor of A Public Space
, a quarterly literary magazine, founded in 2005 by Brigid Hughes, former Executive Editor of The Paris Review.
Her first novel, 360 Flip, looked at the tensions lying below the surface of the "American Dream
" in a 60s Levittown
-style suburb
, through the eyes of a disillusioned young poet growing up there in the 1950s. It was dedicated to her husband, Colin Greenwood
.
Exurbia, McGrann's second novel, set in Los Angeles
in the mid 80s during the Reagan
era, is about the mentally ill living in the margins of society. It follows an insecure thirteen-year-old woman suffering from bi-polar disorder, Lise, and the parallel story of Ed Valencia, as their lives become entangled with the violent world of L.A.'s homeless gangs. It was dedicated
to her parents.
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, and novelist. She is an alumna of Skidmore College
Skidmore College
Skidmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The college is located in the town of Saratoga Springs, New York State....
and New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. She lives in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Biography
McGrann graduated from Skidmore CollegeSkidmore College
Skidmore College is a private, independent, liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The college is located in the town of Saratoga Springs, New York State....
, in 1995, and went on to receive an MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in Creative Writing
Creative writing
Creative writing is considered to be any writing, fiction, poetry, or non-fiction, that goes outside the bounds of normal professional, journalistic, academic, and technical forms of literature. Works which fall into this category include novels, epics, short stories, and poems...
from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
She is a literary critic and the author of two novels.
In December 1998, McGrann married musician Colin Greenwood
Colin Greenwood
Colin Charles Greenwood , is an English musician and composer, best known as the bassist of the rock band Radiohead. Apart from bass, Colin plays keyboards, synthesizers and works on sampling on the electronic side of Radiohead...
, in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. They live in a small village in Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
with their three sons, Jesse, Asa and Henry.
Writing
McGrann has worked as a reviewer for the Times Literary Supplement and as a contributing editorLiterary editor
A literary editor is an editor in a newspaper, magazine or similar publication who deals with aspects concerning literature and books, especially reviews. A literary editor may also help with editing books themselves, by providing services such as proof reading, copy-editing, and literary...
for The Paris Review. She has also had poems published in various literary magazine
Literary magazine
A literary magazine is a periodical devoted to literature in a broad sense. Literary magazines usually publish short stories, poetry and essays along with literary criticism, book reviews, biographical profiles of authors, interviews and letters...
s including TriQuarterly
TriQuarterly
TriQuarterly Online is a not-for-profit American literary magazine published twice a year at Northwestern University that features fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, literary essays, reviews, a blog, and graphic art....
and Arion. She is a London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
Editor of A Public Space
A Public Space
A Public Space is a quarterly English-language literary magazine based in Brooklyn, New York. First published in April 2006. A Public Space publishes fiction, poetry, essays and art...
, a quarterly literary magazine, founded in 2005 by Brigid Hughes, former Executive Editor of The Paris Review.
Her first novel, 360 Flip, looked at the tensions lying below the surface of the "American Dream
American Dream
The American Dream is a national ethos of the United States in which freedom includes a promise of the possibility of prosperity and success. In the definition of the American Dream by James Truslow Adams in 1931, "life should be better and richer and fuller for everyone, with opportunity for each...
" in a 60s Levittown
Levittown
Levittown is the name of four large suburban developments created in the United States of America by William Levitt and his company Levitt & Sons...
-style suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
, through the eyes of a disillusioned young poet growing up there in the 1950s. It was dedicated to her husband, Colin Greenwood
Colin Greenwood
Colin Charles Greenwood , is an English musician and composer, best known as the bassist of the rock band Radiohead. Apart from bass, Colin plays keyboards, synthesizers and works on sampling on the electronic side of Radiohead...
.
Exurbia, McGrann's second novel, set in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
in the mid 80s during the Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
era, is about the mentally ill living in the margins of society. It follows an insecure thirteen-year-old woman suffering from bi-polar disorder, Lise, and the parallel story of Ed Valencia, as their lives become entangled with the violent world of L.A.'s homeless gangs. It was dedicated
Dedications
Dedications was an hour-long television program aired on Canadian music TV station MuchMusic. It compiled viewers' music-video requests that are dedicated in the name of viewer's friends and families. The requests were sent to MuchMusic headquarters via cellphone text message, email, and phone....
to her parents.
Poetry
- From Less Than Spring, a long poem of conditions.http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-59615913.html (1999)
- Hermaphroditus (2002)
External links
- A Public Space official website
- Arts | Telegraph Review of 360 Flip
- Mail&Guardian Za@Play Review of Exurbia