Tatjana Soli

Tatjana Soli is an American novelist and short-story writer. Her first novel, The Lotus Eaters (2010), won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, was a finalist for the Los Angeles Book Prize, was a New York Times Bestseller, and a New York Times 2010 Notable Book. Her second novel, The Forgetting Tree (2012) was a New York Times Notable Book. Soli's third novel, The Last Good Paradise, was among The Millions "Most Anticipated" Books of 2015. Her fourth novel, The Removes, was published by Sarah Crichton Books in June, 2018 and has been named a New York Times Editor's Choice. Her work has appeared in a variety of publications including The New York Times Book Review.

Education

Soli graduated from Stanford University, and later the Warren Wilson College with an MFA.[1][2] She received scholarships to the Sewanee Writers' Conference and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.

Work

Soli’s debut novel, The Lotus Eaters, tells the story of a female photojournalist who goes to Vietnam to cover the war and falls in love with the country even as it is being torn apart. It was published in 2010, and featured on the front page of the New York Times Book Review. In the review, Danielle Trussoni wrote: "Helen’s restlessness and grappling, her realization that 'a woman sees war differently,' provide a new and fascinating perspective on Vietnam. Vivid battle scenes, sensual romantic entanglements and elegant writing add to the pleasures of The Lotus Eaters."

The Lotus Eaters uses a bookend structure that Janet Maslin in Books of The Times noted: "Soli’s haunting debut novel begins where it ought to end… This quick shift in time frames proves to be much more seductive than a simple introduction to the older, tougher Helen would be."

The novel went on to become New York Times bestseller. In 2011, the novel won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize, the oldest literary prize in the United Kingdom. In addition it was a Finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and named a NYT Notable Book. It has been optioned to become a feature film.


Her second novel, The Forgetting Tree (2012) was a New York Times Notable Book and NYT Editors' Choice. The book centers around a California ranching woman who runs her family's citrus farm and the Caribbean-born caretaker she hires to take help her through an illness. Jane Smiley, in the New York Times, wrote: “Daring… haunting… The lesson Soli has to teach… is a salient one for the modern world: even a remote citrus ranch can be a crossroads where cultures collide, and those collisions can be life-changing for everyone involved."


Soli's third novel, The Last Good Paradise, was among The Millions "Most Anticipated" Books of 2015. It is the story of an LA power couple who run away to a South Sea Eco Resort to try to escape their problems. The Michigan Daily wrote of it: “With elegant prose that can swell into poetic intervals or sharp commentary, Soli presents a book that courses with flawed, colorful characters, lavish food descriptions (courtesy of a chef protagonist) and political intrigue. But beneath its lovely veneer is a book that confronts the American urge to escape.”


Her fourth novel, The Removes, was published by Sarah Crichton Books, Farrar, Straus, & Giroux, in June 2018 and has been named a New York Times Editors' Choice.


Her writing has appeared in a variety of publications including The New York Times Book Review. Her short stories have appeared in Zyzzyva, Boulevard, Five Chapters, The Normal School, The Sun,[3] StoryQuarterly,[4] Confrontation,[5] Gulf Coast, Other Voices, Inkwell Journal,[6] Nimrod,[7] Third Coast, Carolina Quarterly, Sonora Review,[8] North Dakota Quarterly,[9] Washington Square Review,[10] and Web del Sol.[11]

Personal life

She lives on the Monterey Peninsula, California.[12]

Awards

Works

  • The Removes. New York: Sarah Crichton Books, FSG. 2018. ISBN 978-0-374-24931-1.
  • The Last Good Paradise. New York: St. Martin's Press. 2015. ISBN 978-1-250-04396-2.
  • The Forgetting Tree. New York: St. Martin's Press. 2012. ISBN 978-1-250-00104-7.
  • The Lotus Eaters. New York: St. Martin's Press. 2010. ISBN 978-0-312-61157-6.

Anthology

  • M Marie Hayes, ed. (2003). StoryQuarterly. 39. Storyquarterly Inc. ISBN 978-0-9722444-1-1.

References

  1. ↑ "Warren Wilson College Library-New Books, April 2006". Warren-wilson.edu. 31 December 2004. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  2. ↑ "1000 Black Lines: Warren Wilson MFA faculty Public Readings". 1000blacklines.blogspot.com. 6 January 2006. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  3. ↑ Tatjana Soli. "The Sweet And The Salt". The Sun Magazine. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  4. ↑ StoryQuarterly – Google Books. Google Books. 29 February 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  5. ↑ "In This Issue" (PDF). Google. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 November 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  6. ↑
  7. ↑ Nimrod – University of Tulsa – Google Books. Google Books. 29 February 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  8. ↑ Sonora review – Google Books. Google Books. 6 June 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  9. ↑ The North Dakota quarterly – University of North Dakota – Google Books. Google Books. 17 January 2008. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  10. ↑ "Washington Square Review". Archived from the original on 21 September 2013. Retrieved September 2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  11. ↑ "Other Voices". Webdelsol.com. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  12. ↑ "bio". Tatjanasoli.com. 30 July 2010. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  13. ↑ "Dazzling tale of Ms Saigon takes top award". The Scotsman. UK. 20 August 2011.
  14. ↑ "2011 List". ALA. 24 January 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  15. ↑ "2010 Los Angeles Times Book Prize finalists announced". Latimesblogs.latimes.com. 22 February 2011. Retrieved 20 October 2011.
  16. ↑ "100 Notable Books of 2010," New York Times, November 24, 2010. Retrieved September 14, 2012.
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