Alice Hoffman Biography - Book Club Challenge, Sole Sister Ramblers

Alice Hoffman Biography - Reading and Book Club Challenge

Naomi Weisman is the writer and editor of Nomi's Pics in our Rambler Cafe Blog. She is a Canadian-Australian and mother of three who loves to ramble with her dog, cook for family and friends, and laugh whenever possible. 

Alice Hoffman was born in New York City on March 16, 1952, and raised on Long Island. After graduating from high school in 1969, she attended Adelphi University, where she earned her BA. She went on to receive a Mirrellees Fellowship at the Stanford University Creative Writing Center, where she studied from 1973 to 1974 and earned an MA in creative writing. Hoffman also holds an MA from the Harvard Divinity School and is currently a fellow there. She resides near Boston.

An acclaimed American novelist and writer of young adult and children's literature, Hoffman is best known for her 1995 novel Practical Magic, which was adapted into a popular film in 1998, starring Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock. 

A defining characteristic of Hoffman’s storytelling is her masterful use of mystical realism, weaving together elements of magic, irony, and unconventional relationships. Though her narratives often venture into the fantastical, the emotional depth and relatability of her characters make the experience feel grounded in reality.

Hoffman’s true brilliance lies in her ability to evoke a sense of wonder in adult readers, transporting them back to the magical experience of discovering a whole new world through the pages of a book. Her novels, with their blend of enchantment and real-life emotion, feel like modern fairy tales for grown-ups.

With over thirty works of fiction to her name, Hoffman’s notable titles include The World That We Knew, The Marriage of Opposites, The Red Garden, The Museum of Extraordinary Things, The Dovekeepers, Here on Earth, and the Practical Magic series, which includes Practical Magic, Magic Lessons, The Rules of Magic, and The Book of Magic

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