Roxanne J. Coady

Marvelous idea and I want the sequel! Finally, I found a book primarily about *reading* instead of about collecting/ hoarding books.

Each essay is entirely different, so I'd be willing to bet that at least a few of them will resonant with every end reader. All are short, most are even under two pages. Now, to be perfectly honest, there were a few too many Literary ones for me, but then many of the writers that contributed are writers of thrillers, journalists, sports writers, etc.

Few books show more got mentioned by more than one essayist, too, which is interesting. Some essays talked about favorite childhood books, some about manuals for living, some about the latest work that they've been recommending to everyone. Some couldn't limit themselves to touting just one book. Some admit that what work matters to them might not to anybody else.

It's a good source for recommendations, not just for the books that mattered to the essayists, but also for the books written by the essayists. I've got some to add from both sources.

It's also a good prompt for us, reminding us to think about books we've read that have had a major impact on our life or at least on our reading.

I'm going to be opening a discussion about books that matter to us in the marvelous GR Group http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1225-you-ll-love-this-one-a-book-club-more - come join us!

Btw, every copy of this book we buy will buy a book for a family in the Read to Grow program. show less

An interesting compilation of authors talking about their favorite books, well, books that changed their lives. It was interesting to see the various books that they chose, wether it was something that related to the field they were in, a certified classic, something more obscure, or even the Sears catalog (yes really). Nothing to blow your socks off here. Just a couple page snippets on the book that changed their life and why. A fun little read.

71 nauthors do extremely short sketches of the most influential books in their lives. Kind of humdrum, but okay if read in short bursts. Anne Perry's essay is excellent, as are a very few more. The most striking thing? How many of these authors cited books that they felt had given them "permission" to write: that is, they were suddenly surprised--"Hey, I can do this, too!"

Every book has an influence on the reader, some profound, some not so meaningful, and some even repugnant, but every book ever read leaves the reader changed. In this collection of the books which most affected 71 authors, you find books of fiction, of history, of poetry of non-fiction and books that influenced these authors even when they were young. From The Little Engine that Could to Charlotte's Web to the Collected Works of Shakespeare to The Catcher in the Rye to To Kill a Mocking show more Bird, all of these books left indelible imprints of authors who themselves offered their souls in the books they have created.
One of the best ways to answer yourself when asking, "What should I read next?" is to have the recommendations of others and nowhere will better recommendations be found than in the recommendations of the people who craft books themselves.
This was a wonderful read and gave me a roadmap to many volumes I must now add to my own experience. show less