What writer's blog would be complete without a list of
favorite books? Reminiscent of PULSE!
magazine's Desert Island Discs, here are ten titles that have inspired,
informed, and entertained me throughout a lifetime of reading.
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
Yes, I know I'm supposed
to love this book, and I do. Lee's "simple love story," as she called it, never
fails to captivate me.
The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Juster
A delightful story full of silliness and wordplay, which
first planted the idea in my eight-year-old mind that writing could be fun.
L.A. Requiem, Robert Crais
Quite simply one of the best-crafted mysteries I've ever
read. But it's the deep-dive into the past of the inscrutable Joe Pike that
makes it unforgettable.
On Writing, Stephen King
Part instruction book, part biography, King's how-to-write tome illustrates
the formation of a writer and how his craft brought him back to life.
The Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz
Zafon
I was hooked by the first beautifully-written sentence: "I
still remember the day my father took me to the Cemetery of Forgotten Books for
the first time."
The Daily Show (the Book) Chris
Smith
An oral history of what might be the most brilliant television
show ever, as told by the host, correspondents, staff, and guests.
The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop, Lewis
Buzbee
A book-lover's book, Buzbee celebrates the sensory
experience of browsing in a bookstore on a rainy afternoon. He also recounts
the history of the bookseller trade, beginning with the Alexandria library.
The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara
Kingsolver
Kingsolver's beautiful prose sucked me in as always, but
it's her seamless narrative, told from five different points of view, that keeps
me coming back to this story.
A fifth-grade assignment to memorize a poem, "Eldorado," first
introduced me to Poe. And yes, to this day, I can still recite it from memory.
The Elements of Style, William
Strunk and E.B. White
Full of practical, sensible advice to writers, including
this gem: "Omit needless words."
No comments:
Post a Comment