When the Island Had Fish

Janna Malamud Smith has lectured and has published widely nationally and internationally. She is the author of four books. The first two, Private Matters. (1997) and A Potent Spell. (2003) were chosen as "Notable Books" by The New York Times Sunday Book Review. Her third, "My Father is a book." (2006) was selected as a Washington Post Best Book of the Year, and a New York Times Editor's Choice. Two of her essays were reprinted in Best American Essays. Her most recent book is An Absorbing Errand: How Artists and Craftsmen Make their way to Mastery (2013). She writes regularly for Cognoscenti, an opinion website for WBUR a Boston NPR station.