The Writer's Library

The Authors You Love on the Books that Changed Their Lives

De: Nancy Pearl, Jeff Schwager

Narrado por: Nancy Pearl, Jeff Schwager, Xe Sands, Dominic Hoffman, Eileen Stevens, Piper Goodeve, Andrew Eiden, Lameece Issaq, Rick Adamson, JD Jackson, Ryan Do, Timothy Andrés Pabon, Emily Woo Zeller

Performed by Nancy Pearl, Jeff Schwager and a multi-cast that includes book contributors Luis Alberto Urrea, Siri Hustvedt, Laurie Frankel, Vendela Vida, and Richard Ford. The Writer’s Library audiobook also features real conversations with Michael Chabon, Ayelet Waldman, and Laila Lalami.

With a foreword by Susan Orlean, 23 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 "American's Librarian" Nancy Pearl and noted playwright Jeff Schwager that 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 favorite 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.

The Writer’s Library is a revelatory exploration of the studies, libraries, and bookstores of today’s favorite authors - 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, and Amor Towles.

©2020 Nancy Pearl and Jeff Schwager (P)2020 HarperCollins Publishers

A very different angle on good reads

The idea of asking writer's what they read, what they have in their personal libraries produced very intimate and interesting portraits of each author. Hearing about memories from early reading and about books and authors each found inspiring in their lives and careers was enlightening. I discovered many writers and books I want to check out based on descriptions and recommendations I read here.

A real jem

This Audible book has been my buddy. It is a delight to listen to again and again. I found every author having something significant to say about the books they enjoyed. It is a comfort to hear the contradictions on almost everything. I don't mean to spoil anything, but some I still find the interviews interesting to listen to multiple times. Also the more I listened, the more I researched I admired the ability to stay on topic. These interviews are crafted well.

Excellent book ruined by the terrible narration

The authors are terrible at narrating their own book and unfortunately the rest aren’t excellent either.

I enjoyed the content

If you like autobiographies/biographies, books and writers, this book is for you. It was a different type of book, and it took me a bit to get use to it. Overall I enjoyed it and my favorite thing was learning about the writers.

An experiment with an unfortunate outcome

This book should really not have been read by the authors! Try recording again using professional a reader - please!

Disappointed

The performance was exactly that, a performance, rather than an interview or better yet a conversation among colleagues. The questions were superficial. I expected more.