Friday, November 27, 2020

The Writer's Library

The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their LivesThe Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

"If life is dreary, literature gives it an extra beat..." I wasn't planning on reading The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives straight through, thinking it was a dabble text to add titles to my swollen To Be Read stack, but I did read every word. These author interviews were interesting and enjoyable as twenty-two writers recalled treasured books from youth and favorite items on their shelves, peppered with comments on the writing life. reading and anecdotes from the likes of Jonathan Lethem, T. Coraghessan Boyle Jennifer Egan, Amor Towles, Louise Erdrich, Dave Eggers, Siri Hustvedt, Susan Choi, etc. With the exception of one stilted email interview (Donna Tartt), the conversation flowed as warm, intelligent chats among booklovers. Many recommendations I read with fondness long ago (Jane Bowles, William Kennedy, Grace Paley, Richard Yates, and a favorite of Pearl & Schwager Philip Roth) and would like to revisit them. A rich list of offerings new to me include Ingeborg Bachmann, Sally Wen Mao, Simon Doonan, Lemn Sissay, Mona Eltahawy, as well as suggestions for poetry and a smattering of nonfiction. A scintillating feast for the avid reader or anyone looking for a good book.

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