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ShareJon Krakauer on his recent rereading of Capote’s In Cold Blood:
“After I learned of his boast that he wrote all the dialogue from memory, much of it struck me as having been invented.”
You know, that’s a good point. A good point, of course, only a writer of Krakauer’s intensity is allowed make and not seem snide, bitchy, or entirely misinformed. He makes the statement in the 13 August issue of Newsweek in an article focusing mainly on his five favourite books, Donald Barthelme’s The Dead Father and Tracy Kidder’s House among them. Capote’s groundbreaker falls under the provocative category “a classic that, upon re-reading, [I found] disappointing”.
This tiny, fascinating article sent me on a mission to find other lists, in which published authors discuss their favourite books. Lists aplenty showed up on my Google search—though, sadly, not so many “classics that really suck” lists, but I’m still looking. Here’s a sample ...
My First Literary Crush at Slate.com
Check out what Harold Bloom, Christopher Hitchens, and Judd Apatow found ‘mesmerizing” in college. It’s a good list, if a little bit male (though a Seinfeld writer lists Erica Jong as influential, which shakes things up slightly).
Barnes and Noble: Meet the Writers
These snippety interviews / profiles are excellent in gaining better insight into your favourite writers. Check out the “author recommendations” sections and find out what Lisa See, Chuck Klosterman, and Gregory Maguire want us to read over the summer.
Best Adaptations at Book Forum
A bit off-track but nonetheless fascinating, this recent Book Forum article is essentially a list of authors’ favourite film adaptations. Armond White, Joy Press, and Francine Prose are among the participants.
What Writers Read at The Main Switch
This article from late last month takes a close look at what local Maine authors are reading over the summer. Meet Joel Ross, Lily King, and Hannah Holmes and discover just how diverse and exciting their reading choices are.
As for books not to read, the best I could find was Lucy Day’s Books I Hate webpage. She hates a lot, particularly books by L. Ron Hubbard. Her summation of Stephen King and Peter Straub’s The Talisman: “This book is supposedly fantasy/horror. Emphasis on the horror. I read this book on the recommendation of a friend, but this is not a genre I am comfortable with. Noble quest, yes. Magical worlds and creatures, yes. But worth reading? No.”
Fair enough. Still, there’s just not enough author-hate out there. Like I said, I’m looking.
