Nom de Plume: A (Secret) History of Pseudonyms - Tapa blanda

"Engaging without being breezy, informative without being pedantic, these essays offer insightful, fascinating literary portraits without the solemness and heft of so many literary biographies. Ciuraru gets to the essence of their lives efficiently and evocatively, which makes for pleasant and piquant summer literary non-fiction."--The Reading Ape Blog

"Fascinating, lively, and fun - you can't do much better than to read about George Sand, born Amandine-Aurore-Lucile Dupin, who adopted a swaggering male persona to go along with the name."--Boston Globe

"Ciuraru's treatments of her subjects sparkle with rich, well-arranged detail and the sly wit of literary hindsight. With a central focus that remains urgent and appealing for 21st century readers even as it dissects the personal lives of authors long past, Nom de Plume is surely an important book."--Chelsea Now Magazine

."..'Nom de Plume' is part detective story, part expos?, part literary history, and an absorbing psychological meditation on identity and creativity. It's a delightful book."--Huntington News

"What to make of the paradox that some of the boldest writers have hidden behind pen names? Carmela Ciuraru has performed a valuable service in examining the phenomenon through her charming, sprightly, and illuminating biographical essays."--Phillip Lopate

"Our curator is always having fun in 'Nom De Plume, ' and, as a result, so are we."--Jewish Daily Forward

"Ciuraru builds each history as its own personal story, then builds the literary charm and genius behind the pathos, ... a tale of literary genius all its own."--Los Angeles Times

"With description that captures the imagination, Nom de Plume is what nonfiction should be - accessible, thought-provoking, and highly entertaining."--Christian Science Monitor

."..Ciuraru, a freelance literary journalist, writes well and has a fully functioning sense of humor, so "Nom de Plume" is a pleasure to read..."--Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World

"Stories of self-invention are always interesting to read about, especially in Carmela Ciuraru's Nom de Plume. Ciuraru's book presents a persuasive argument that the generative powers of the pseudonym should persist."--The Daily

Discusses writers throughout history who hoarded secret identities-- sometimes playfully, and sometimes with tragic consequences--including Mark Twain, George Eliot, and Lewis Carroll.