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The Writer's Library

The Authors You Love on the Books That Changed Their Lives
3.78 goodreads logo

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( 1,227 ratings, 317 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The Writer's Library by Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager delves into the personal libraries of acclaimed authors, exploring how reading influences their lives and work. Through insightful interviews, the book offers a glimpse into the books that have shaped their writing journeys, revealing the profound impact of literature on creativity and human experience. It serves both as an homage to the art of reading and a source of inspiration for book lovers.
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Format: Paperback / softback
$5100

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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you enjoy discovering the personal libraries and literary insights of celebrated authors. It's perfect for those who appreciate intimate conversations about the transformative power of books and the impact of reading on a writer's life.

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"Moving, joyful, and insightful collection of conversations with today's living literary legends about the books that changed their lives, made them think, and brought them joy, from 'American's Librarian' Nancy Pearl and noted playwright Jeff Schwager"--

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

NEW & NOTEWORTHY ~ THE NEW YORK TIMES

With a Foreword by Susan Orlean, twenty-three of today's living literary legends, including Donna Tartt, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Andrew Sean Greer, Laila Lalami, and Michael Chabon, reveal the books that made them think, brought them joy, and changed their lives in this intimate, moving, and insightful collection from "America's Librarian" and recipient of the National Book Foundation's Literarian Award for Outstanding Service, Nancy Pearl and noted playwright Jeff Schwager. This book celebrates the power of literature and reading to connect us all.

Before Jennifer Egan, Louise Erdrich, Luis Alberto Urrea, and Jonathan Lethem became revered authors, they were readers. In this ebullient book, America’s favourite librarian Nancy Pearl and noted playwright Jeff Schwager interview a diverse range of America's most notable and influential writers about the books that shaped them and inspired them to leave their own literary mark.

Illustrated with beautiful line drawings, The Writer’s Library is a revelatory exploration of the studies, libraries, and bookstores of today’s favourite authorsβ€”the creative artists whose imagination and sublime talent make America's literary scene the wonderful, dynamic world it is. A love letter to books and a celebration of wordsmiths, The Writer’s Library is a treasure for anyone who has been moved by the written word.

The authors in The Writer’s Library are:

  • Russell Banks
  • TC Boyle
  • Michael Chabon
  • Susan Choi
  • Jennifer Egan
  • Dave Eggers
  • Louise Erdrich
  • Richard Ford
  • Laurie Frankel
  • Andrew Sean Greer
  • Jane Hirshfield
  • Siri Hustvedt
  • Charles Johnson
  • Laila Lalami
  • Jonathan Lethem
  • Donna Tartt
  • Madeline Miller
  • Viet Thanh Nguyen
  • Luis Alberto Urrea
  • Vendela Vida
  • Ayelet Waldman
  • Maaza Mengiste
  • Amor Towles

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The Writer's Library has been praised for its engaging and insightful interviews with 22 renowned authors, showcasing a diverse and intriguing mix of literary voices. Esteemed reviewers highlight the passionate and enthusiastic approach of Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager, commending the book for its ability to captivate bibliophiles with the unique glimpse it offers into the personal libraries and reading habits of celebrated writers. Readers are encouraged to explore and discover new literary interests through this delightful compendium.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780062968494

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 February 2022

Country: United States

Imprint: HarperOne

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 21.0mm

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 203.0mm

Weight: 281g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Bestselling author, librarian, literary critic, and devoted reader Nancy Pearl regularly speaks about the importance and pleasure of reading at libraries, literacy organizations, and community groups around the world. She can be heard on NPR’s Morning Edition and KWGS-FM in Tulsa, Oklahoma, discussing her favorite books. Her monthly television show on the Seattle Channel, Book Lust with Nancy Pearl, features interviews with authors, poets, and other literary figures. Among her many honors are the 2011 Librarian of the Year Award from Library Journal and the 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association. Nancy is the creator of the internationally recognized program If All of Seattle Read the Same Book, and was the inspiration for the Archee McPhee "Librarian Action Figure."Β  Jeff Schwager is a Seattle-based writer, editor, producer, and playwright who has also had a successful career as an entertainment and media executive. He has written extensively on books, movies, music, and theater, and has interviewed many of the most esteemed artists in each of those mediums. In 2013, Book-It Repertory Theatre produced his acclaimed adaptation of Denis Johnson’s Jesus' Son. The following year, the company's five-hour stage version of his dramatization of Michael Chabon's The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay won Theatre Puget Sound's prestigious Gregory Award for Outstanding Production of 2014.Β 

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