Francine Prose

Biography

Francine Prose is the author of more than twenty books of fiction and nonfiction, including Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932 (Harper, 2014) and Blue Angel (HarperCollins, 2000), which was a finalist for the National Book Award and a New York Times notable book. A former president of PEN American Center, Prose has received Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships, among other honors. She is the Distinguished Writer in Residence at Bard College.

See Work

TALISMAN / Fall 2013

Talisman: Ganesh

By Francine Prose

It’s been almost forty years since I bought an image of Sri Ganesh, the elephant-​headed Hindu god, from a street vendor in the Chor Bazaar—​the Thieves’ Market—​in Mumbai, which at that time was still Bombay. I’ve had the picture...
FICTION / Spring 2006

An Open Letter to Doctor X

By Francine Prose

Perhaps I should introduce myself. I am an attorney, currently employed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Relax, Doctor. Let me assure you. This is not that kind of letter. I mention my work only preemptively, anticipating what...

ESSAYS / Fall 2004

Writing Life: The Universal in the Particular

By Francine Prose

Enraged to discover that Germany did not possess any work by Michelangelo, his favorite artist, Hitler was mildly consoled to find a painting by Caravaggio—Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio—whom Hitler thought was the same person as...