I had a flirtation with the secret history before i ever read it. In the secret history, donna tartts first and thrilling. Richard papen had never been to new england before his nineteenth year. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The novels first scene is that of a group of friends, including nineteenyearold narrator richard papen, driving back to hampden college after murdering a friend and. Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite new england college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence. The secret history by donna tartt, 9780140167771, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Truly deserving of the accolade modern classic, donna tartt s cult bestseller the secret history is a remarkable achievement both compelling and elegant, dramatic and playful. Donna tartt is an american writer who received critical acclaim for her first two novels, the secret history and the little friend, which have been translated into thirty languages. Discover book depositorys huge selection of donna tartt books online.
Donna tartt won the 2014 pulitzer prize for her most recent novel. The secret history by donna tartt book club discussion. Truly deserving of the accolade modern classic, donna tartts cult bestseller the secret history is a remarkable achievement both compelling and elegant, dramatic and playful. Find all the books, read about the author, and more. The secret history started off as a solid book for me but ended. We use cookies to give you the best possible experience. The secret history is the first novel by donna tartt, published by alfred a.
So, we follow a younger version of richard, who is finally starting his life away from his abusive and poor family in california. Id seen all the press that the book and its enigmatic author received and knew that this was the one for me. Content includes books from bestselling, midlist and debut authors. Secret history by donna tartt, first edition abebooks. The secret history 20th anniversary edition by donna tartt published by penguin on august 3rd 2017 genres. Secret history by donna tartt, 9781400031702, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. In this brilliant novel, pulitzer prizewinning author donna tartt gives us a richly textured and hypnotic story of golden youth corrupted by its own moral arrogance. The secret history is told in a unique style, which is a man reminiscing on some significant events that took place in his college life a bit over a year ago. Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite new england college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the humdrum existence of their contemporaries. Book description penguin books ltd, united kingdom, 1995. Donna tartt is the author of the goldfinch, which was awarded the 2014 pulitzer prize for fiction, as well as the andrew carnegie medal for excellence in fiction. This is a brilliant novel and well worth the purchase. Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite new england college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away. Sep 24, 2017 truly deserving of the accolade modern classic, donna tartt s cult bestseller the secret history is a remarkable achievement both compelling and elegant, dramatic and playful.
At the age of nineteen, richard papen goes to hampden college in vermont, primarily to get away from his parents and his depressingly boring hometown of plano, ca. Oct 19, 2011 donna tartt, winner of the 2014 pulitzer prize for her most recent novel, the goldfinch, established herself as a major talent with the secret history, which has become a contemporary classic. Reading this book for the third time just convinced me that it is still my favorite donna tartt novel. If you are the publisher or author of this book and feel that. The secret history is the first novel by american author, donna tartt. Jan 28, 2018 the secret history is told in a unique style, which is a man reminiscing on some significant events that took place in his college life a bit over a year ago. The novel follows the lives of six dynamic classics students at hampden college in. Donna tartts the secret history is part psychological thriller, part college memoir, and part greek mythology. Donna tartt discusses the secret history with john mullan at the guardian book club on 19 november, 7pm, the royal geographical society, 1. But the circuitous route that this book takes to hide and keep hidden a particular secret of the major characters, was just too long. The secret history by donna tartt richard papen arrived at hampden college in new england and was quickly seduced by an elite group of five students, all greek scholars, all worldly, selfassured, and, at first glance, all highly unapproachable. She was born in greenwood, mississippi and is a graduate of bennington college. It was donna tartts the secret history, and i hated it. Bennington places, but no bennington people, may be associated with her book.
A bunch of eversomandarin college kids in a small vermont school are the eager epigones of an aloof classics professor, and in their exclusivity and snobbishness and eagerness to please their teacher, they are moved to try to enact dionysian frenzies in the woods. Review the secret history, by donna tartt jenna bookish. The eight years it took donna tartt to write the secret history prepared fans for a lengthy wait for its followup. An acknowledged modern classic, the secret history endures as a cerebral yet addictive masterwork. Ive owned this book for over a year and have reread it at least twice because it is that good. The secret history by donna tartt reading guidebook club. Set in new england, it tells the story of a closely knit group of six classics students at hampden college, a small, elite vermont college based upon bennington college, where tartt was a student between 1982 and 1986.
Donna tartt, winner of the 2014 pulitzer prize for her most recent novel, the goldfinch, established herself as a major talent with the secret history, which has become a contemporary classic. The goldfinch her novelsl the secret history and the little friend were also international bestsellers. The secret history, donna tartts highly publicized first novel, is a most unusual murder mystery, since the primary murder and its perpetrators are identified on the first page. The secret history, published in 1992, is the first novel by pulitzer prize and andrew carnegie medalwinning author donna tartt, whose other notable books include the little friend 2002 and the goldfinch 20. It was also recommended by people who know my taste as well as those who dont, seemingly by the world of book lovers itself, by some of my most literary and wellread friends, by my mother.
Donna tartts the secret history by tracy hargreaves, 9780826453204, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Thats widely thought to be the most difficult form. Jun 02, 2014 donna tartt has her own secret history. Apr, 2004 secret history by donna tartt, 9781400031702, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Her novel the goldfinch won the pulitzer prize in 2014. Her novels the secret history and the little friend have been translated into 30 languages. Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite new england college discover a way of thinking and living that is. The secret history by bclarkgreene see profile 112217. Donna tartts debut novel the secret history was an international bestseller, translated into 23 languages and one of the most astonishing debuts in recent times. A site dedicated to book lovers providing a forum to discover and share commentary about the books and authors they enjoy. Its rare but happens, a book using a word enough and so well as to have invented the word, even if the word was already in the dictionary, so that the word becomes the world of the book, in yours. Discover book depository s huge selection of donna tartt books online. From the pulitzer prizewinning author of the goldfinchtruly deserving of the accolade modern classic, donna tartts bestseller the secret history is a remarkable achievement both compelling and elegant, dramatic and playful. The secret history and the little friend by donna tartt, 9781408802922, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide.
The brat pack meets the bacchae in this precious, waytoolong, and utterly unsuspenseful townandgown murder tale. The secret history by donna tartt, 9780141023649, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Jan 11, 2008 i had a flirtation with the secret history before i ever read it. Building an everdarkening atmosphere of ominous tension, donna tartts ground breaking collegeset thriller casts profound questions of morality and desire in a gripping reversemurder mystery steeped in allusions to the ancient classics. The secret history by donna tartt, 9780140860269, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. From the pulitzer prizewinning author of the goldfinchtruly deserving of the accolade modern classic, donna tartt s bestseller the secret history is a remarkable achievement both compelling and elegant, dramatic and playful.
Pick up your own copy of the secret history by donna tartt affiliate link. Strongly reminiscent of the likeness in setting, crime and. Set in new england, it tells the story of a closely knit group of six classics students at hampden college, a small, elite vermont college based upon bennington college, where tartt was a student between 1982 and 1986 the secret history is an inverted detective story narrated by one of the students. Apr, 2004 donna tarts writing is fantastic and i read the secret history in one sitting. Under the influence of their charismatic classics professor, a group of clever, eccentric misfits at an elite new england college discover a way of thinking and living that is a world away from the. She was born in greenwood, mississippi, and is a graduate of bennington college.
The secret history was all from the point of view of richard, a single camera, but the new book is symphonic, like war and peace. The secret history by donna tartt, 9780141037691, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Her childhood in grenada should not, must not, be talked about. Pneumatic is ever the sex in brave new world, languorous the slack line of beauty in lolita. Ten reasons why we love donna tartts the secret history.
Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the secret history. The secret history by donna tartt, 9780241982884, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Oct 18, 2002 the secret history was all from the point of view of richard, a single camera, but the new book is symphonic, like war and peace. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Tartt was the 2003 winner of the wh smith literary award for the little friend.
For the most part, they were patient, content to read and reread the secret history and share their obsession on the tartt fansites and shrines that sprang up in the late1990s. May 09, 2020 everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The daughter of don and taylor tartt, she was born in greenwood, mississippi but. It grips you from its opening line, and it doesnt let go until the very last page. More than twenty years after its release, donna tartts the secret history continues to bewitch readers with the tale of a group of decadent classics students at an elite vermont college in the 1980s and for good reason. Oct 18, 20 donna tartt discusses the secret history with john mullan at the guardian book club on 19 november, 7pm, the royal geographical society, 1 kensington gore, london sw7.