| 1986 | Anywhere But Here. Simpson's acclaimed first novel treats a mother's attempt to make her daughter into a child star in Hollywood. The book is praised by Laura Shapiro in Newsweek as a "big, complex and masterfully written... achievement," which establishes Simpson as one of America's "best young novelists." The Lost Father (1991) is a sequel. Born in Wisconsin, Simpson was educated at the University of California at Berkeley and received an MFA from Columbia. |
| 1991 | The Lost Father. In a sequel to Anywhere but Here, Simpson continues her exploration of Mayan Atassi, now seeking the father who had abandoned her family when she was ten. Her quest makes her increasingly monomaniacal, and the novel asks penetrating questions about the nature of the family. Critics admire Simpson's ability to portray her heroine's unflattering side without losing a basic sympathy for her throughout a long novel. |
