I normally avoid books about books and authors talking about books, but this series of candid interviews with some of America's most beloved contemporary authors was both facinating and engaging - plus, I gathered a plethora of new reading material (like I needed more books to add to my 'to read' list!)Each of the interviews is completely unique, offering insights into how these writers developed their craft through reading - who were their big influencers and what authors or titles have shaped

Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager's book The Writer's Library lets readers in on their favorite authors reading history, what they keep on their bookshelf, and how those books impacted their lives and their craft.Pearl writes, "Our consciousness is a soaring shelf of thoughts and recollections, facts and fantasies, and of course, the scores of books we've read that have become an almost cellular part of who we are." I found myself thinking about the books that were on my shelves across my lifetime.I...

The best contests are the ones you didn't know about. One day, after being a table captain for a fundraiser at which Nancy Pearl spoke, arrived a package announcing our win and including this book. It reminded me a lot of The New York Times "By the Book" interview - discussions of the books that different writers consider formative. While there are quibbles - the same mid-century books and authors were mentioned by many - they offered nice glimpses into several authors. There were moments where

I'll read anything Nancy Pearl puts out, and I love books about books, so this was a no-brainer for me. She and Jeff Schaefer interview 22 contemporary authors on their favorite books. Most of these authors I've not read yet but plan to, so a great introduction to them, and a few!! more books to add to my tbr.

Write all the books about books you can, I will read them. All of them. Nancy Pearl teams up with Jeff Schwager to interview 23 mostly well-known authors about their reading lives. Most people know Nancy Pearl as the world's librarian and model for the iconic shushing librarian action figure, along with being the author of readers advisory books like Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason. Jeff Schwager is less known to me but because the chapters in this book are tran...

What a pleasant surprise! I almost didn’t download an advanced copy of this book because it seemed like it would be so utilitarian at a time when I wanted something more adventurous. But then I thought, well wait a minute, maybe I could get some good reading suggestions from some authors that I admire.How smart am I!?So yeah, lots of good suggestions, but also lots of good interviews. Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager really know their stuff and are just perfect interviewers, prodding when necessary...

This is a fantastic book!These are excellent interviews, much better and going deeper than most others I’ve read that are similar. I wasn’t that enthusiastic about reading one right after the other and finishing the book all at once the way I would with a novel or many other types of non-fiction books. I liked pacing my reading with this one. Each author/interview has so much to offer and there are both similarities and differences between them. This is a book meant for an audio edition! I don’t...

Let me list the ways I love this book!1. I feel like this book was tailored for me! Amazingly, I have read and enjoyed each of the 22 novelists featured here. (I have not yet read the poet Jane Hirshfield) These are my people! So I was fascinated to hear from them. 2. A shining example of how to do this type of book right. I have read too many disappointing collections of dutiful essays about authors' favorite books that I ended up skimming through. Pearl and Schwager met each author and conduct...

Every time I become arrogant enough to consider myself "well read" a book like this comes along. I love Nancy Pearl, and have read (& owned) several of her books (Book Lust, etc). Every time I discover new authors and new books. This is no exception. In this volume, Pearl along with her friend & colleague Jeff Schwager interview 23 authors about their early reading experiences, their influences, their reading habits, and their favorite authors & books. I have only read 7 of these authors and onl...

A lovely series of interviews by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager with writers about the books and authors who inspired their love of reading.It was interesting to see which books and authors came up a lot throughout these interviews. This also prompted me to run out and buy Butcher's Crossing by John Williams, which I had been meaning to read, and some Don Carpenter novels I could never find in local shops. I am certain it will prompt me to track down more in time.I loved how often Walter Tevis an...

The Writer's Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives was a delightful and enlightening book by Nancy Pearl, a bestselling author, librarian and literary critic along with her husband, Jeff Schwager, a Seattle-based writer, editor, producer and playwright. The literary couple interviewed some of America's most acclaimed and notable writers from T.C. Boyle to Richard Ford to Louise Erdrich to Andrew Sean Greer to Donna Tartt to Michael Chabon and Ayelet Waldman. Each wr...

The Writer’s Library: The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives by Nancy Pearl and playwright Jeff Schwager is a compendium of favorite books of some of the world’s best-known and most-admired authors. The interviews are conducted by Nancy Pearl, the most trusted and read librarian in America and playwright Jeff Schwager. For anyone who wants suggestions of books to add to their TBR, this book is for you. There are 23 authors who answer thoughtful, interested and interesting que...

As Susan Orlean asks in her forward, why do we care so deeply about a library burning? In Senegal, they say “the person’s library has been burned” when they die. Every book - to a lover of books - is a presence. Do we all think of ourselves that way? Are books more powerful than any other objects in our lives? If you are reading this review, the answer probably is “yes.” Susan Orlean’s mother’s mind was ravaged by dementia, and it did seem to her that all of her mother’s cherished books were bei...

Writers talking about books they love – what could be better! I'm not too familiar with most of the 23 writers featured. In fact, I have only read a total of 11 books by them: five by Siri Hustvedt, two by Jonathan Lethem, two by Donna Tartt, one by Jennifer Egan and one by Laila Lalami. However, that didn't matter in the slightest, I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Excellent interviews, interesting introductions, very well put together.I can't have read much more than five percent of a...

When I saw this book listed in the Library Journal's Book Pulse newsletter earlier this year, I knew I had to read it! I cannot resist a book about books, writers talking about books, bookshelf tours, books about famous libraries...you get the idea. And this book was SO good! Nancy Pearl and and Jeff Schwager interviewed such a great variety of authors. Some of my favorite interviews were: Madeline Miller, Susan Choi and Laurie Frankel. The authors asked similar questions of each other the autho...

A longtime fan of podcasts such as But That's Another Story and Bookmarks, both of which interview authors about their favorite books and/or the books that have shaped them, I was hoping this book would be more of the same. However, two main differences prevented that from being the case. For one, the podcasts ask writers to select a book (or perhaps, isolate their choice to an author/series). In The Writer's Library, chapters are full transcripts of conversations that go all over the place, cov...

Ok. Maybe 2 1/2 stars. I didn’t really enjoy. Was hoping to pick up lots of good ideas, but not really. The best part i liked was when each author discussed their childhood reading habits and books they loved. WATERSHIP DOWN was a common read among at least 5 of them along with Lloyd Alexander books. Also I didn’t care for the back and forth questions and the somewhat rambling discussions. Normally I love author interviews on public radio. Maybe I’m better at hearing discussions rather than read...

This book felt like going to a cocktail party where everyone is a reader and willing to share their reading history and love of books with strangers. I loved reading about the books that these writers read growing up or finding out that a few didn't find the love of reading until high school. As a high school librarian and teacher this gives me hope! My TBR list exploded as each new chapter found me nodding in agreement about books I already love and then trusting the other recommendations based...

Reading a book about books is always a risky proposition, dangerous for my already massive tbr list. I'll never read all the ones in have on there now. This book though is more than just books, interviews with many of the authors I favor. What books influenced them in their writing, what they read when younger, descriptions of their homes in some cases. Just enough to bring some realizations to mind, now and when I read them again. The authors in the book are listed in the book summary so I'll j...

My brain was churning after burning through this. Nancy Pearl is revered as the unofficial national librarian of our times and is thus highly respected. She chose to interview 23 living authors and here are essays that delve into how they became great writers and what authors they recommend.Have read 12 of these authors, and 9 of these 12 were featured in book discussions that I host. That made me feel we are discussing great authors. Four authors I had never even heard of and I was wondering wh...