Remarkable Reads: 34 Writers and Their Adventures in Reading

by J. Peder Zane (Editor)

In personal essays that read like short stories, writers describe their life-altering encounters with books.

Genres: Nonfiction, Books About Books, Essays

262 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2004

Reviews

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

My rating may be a little harsh because I was SO excited to read it and disappointed by the time I was 3 (or so) essays through. It took me over a month to finish it. I guess I did get exposed to new books and new authors, but the majority of each essay was personal background about each of the 34 writers (I don't know if that was a requirement but it was a disappointment). And the books they chose could have been so much better. I maybe added 4 out of the 34 books to my "to read" list (I originally thought on picking up this book that it would be more like 30 out of the 34 books). They just didn't sound appealing to me. I also found out some books that I DEFINITELY won't read (because of the review), as well as some writers that I won't read (because of their mundane descriptions of their experiences with the novel they chose). Over all - some good and some bad experiences. I just think this could have been SO much better. Especially if the editor would have asked more widely known authors to use an adjective and write about a book.

Here are some quotes I made note of. Surprisingly, there were quite a few for just an "ok” book. But these people write for a living - they are should, in my opinion, have at least one good quote per essay.
---------------------------------------------------
"They remind us that opening a book is a necessary first step, but the story's final word is still just the beginning. Literature offers unimaginable adventures - but they are journeys that go only as far as each reader is willing to take them."

"Learning page seven of The Cat in the Hat doesn't improve my life in any functional way but the wisdom in those words fit my soul and enables me to function. The Lord's Prayer, the Twenty-third Psalm the Serenity Prayer, are touchstones for my existence as both a human and a spiritual being. Saying those words connects me to a source of unseen power that comforts and protects me. When I need that comfort, that protection, I don't want to have to go searching for it in a book. I want at least that part of the book to be in me."

"I think I knew instinctively that the tales in my favorite book held an unusually powerful truth in the absence of the usual "happily ever after." "

"I am nevertheless probably busy most of the time "blocking" some whole and splendid potential in favor of getting on, best I can, with what passes for regular life."

"As I grew up and my reading tastes broadened, I still delighted in the knowledge apprehended in childhood that some books reverberated like gongs or sirens or trumpets calls to action...No book that mattered deeply to me fostered meekness...Books have emboldened me to argue with friends, to fall deeply in love and stay that way, to be kinder to strangers, to stick u for myself, and, once, to crash a party in order to meet my literary hero."

"Shouldn't we want to feel better when we read, not worse? Who on Earth wants another reason to despair, a reminder of impending doom? The world is hard enough, let's not depress ourselves with sad books."

"Even voracious readers can go off books. It happens suddenly. You hit a wall and find yourself unable to take pleasure in any book at all. It is the clearest sign I know of being down in the dumps."

And finally, exactly what I felt about this book:
"Because the relationship between readers and writers is so intimate, readers are susceptible to especially painful disappointments, of both acute and chronic versions... But passionate and committed readers open themselves to a deeper, impossible-to-slake disappointment when, for all the right reasons, they back writers who, after many years and books, betray their devotion."

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I chose this book because I wasn't familiar with most of the writers included, and wanted a different perspective on the whole influential book theme. I'm glad I did, because this book worked in two different ways for me.

First, I got an idea of books that I might want to read based on the essays (and a few I'll definitely ignore). It's been a long time since I read Eudora Welty, so I may take Marianne Gingher's recommendation and read The Robber Bridegroom. And, I've never read Murakami, so I might take a look at The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle based on the essay by Aimee Bender.

Second, I enjoyed several of the contributors' voices, and decided that I needed to read more by some of them. Haven Kimmel and Nasdijj are now two writers I want to know better, because I absolutely loved their essays. This was a good way to find new reads!

[Melinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay book about books. There were several books that I added to my Thrift Books Wish List and/or looked up on eBay or Amazon for reviews. Any book that sends me scouting for other books isn't all bad. Most of the essays were just okay. I liked the essay on Louis Lamour by a genuine Native cowboy, also the one about The Little Locksmith which looks like something I'd like. Bargain from FOL bookstore, so it was worth a quick read.

[Gary Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

For me, this was more of a book about what not to read instead of what to read. Out of the many reviews, seven were books I would like to read. As book about books go, this one cam up short for me.

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather than asking writers to tell
about their favorite book or requesting
authors to provide a grocery list
of favorites, the clever
editor of this book asked writers to
pick one book and one adjective describing
the book and then to write about their
experience with the book. Cutting to the
chase, I'll say I loved this book and,
further, at the risk of sending my fellow
readers even deeper into our book obsessions,
I recommend it to others. (Bias noted:
the essays were originally published in a
newspaper in North Carolina; the book
is heavily weighted with Southerners.)
Favorite Quote: "...I...delighted in the knowledge apprehended in childhood that some books reverberated like gongs or sirens or trumpet calls to action. They ignited fuses, ripped rugs out from under us, were like thumbtacks planted in our chairs
or Whoopee Cushions." (p. 96)

And who hasn't felt this: "In my windbreaker's
side pocket I've got my talisman, my Bible,
my lucky charm: my current copy of The Little
Locksmith by Katharine Butler Hathaway....It
first came to me here, two years ago, when
I really needed it---as books so often do."
(p. 250)

[Renee Liu · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every writer in this collection has their personal religion which is book-reading. To such readers, only did the most sacred and powerful adjectives obtain the qualification to be positioned in front of their books. Such adjectives are elegant, intuitive, beautiful, surprising, unexpected and so on. Certainly, these adjectives are also be used to describe human beings. This is because books to pious readers have absolutely no distinctions from human beings. Pious readers always have the most strong emotions towards the books they are reading, they treat their books as the rare serendipities which are not repeated if passing by. They always reread the books quite often charged with the newest expectations and feelings. They always are ended up building up the strangest and everlasting intimacy with their books. They believe firmly that they could find everything they need from these white and black creatures that live on the pages, which they do. The most fervent readers have the most informidable boldness to trust and apply everything they have taken up from their books when dealing their lives. They live with their books and according to them. Every book is a magician. They transcend you right after you finger through their bodies. They are the most generous ceremony-ers who are willing to give you the right-of-passage at any given moment of your life, to give you a boost and upgrade. You can learn everything in those most magic book-shelf-dwelling creatures, if you believe so, simply.

[Tommy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's really interesting to read what books brought up a specific emotion to mind to each of the authors. The book doesn't even seem like a collection of author's responses but more like a concrete stand alone book. The different styles and at times, saddening backgrounds of the authors, made the reading engaging and interesting. Most of these books I have never heard before but the summary and discussions the authors have on the book help create a fully picture of it. It even made me want to read some of those stories, such as Hans Christian Anderson's fairy tales. This book exposed me to some great books out there. It also shows how much of an effect books have on authors and gives a broad range of the possible results. From wanting to become a writer to lighting the fuel for a life in pursuit of protecting the natural world to finding refuge. It's a good collection of tales about the power of words. The reading experience varies with the authors but overall its funny, deep and educational.

[Terry · Rating 3 out of 5]

On the one hand, I really enjoyed the premise of this book: essays by authors, all titled, "The Most ______ Book I Read." The writers then fill in an appropriate adjective (Enchanting, Important, Daunting, Dangerous) and revisit a well remembered read. Some of the pieces are quite good, and all are thoughtful. Yet I wasn't thrilled by any of the entires, so there was ample room for improvement. Still, it made for interesting, if a bit distanced, reading.

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would think this book, a collection of short essays on adjective-est books, would have trouble finding an audience. It's not insightful enough to be interesting, not smart enough to be literary, not accessible enough to be popular... there's not much cohesion in the choices or styles of the essays, and I've not heard of 90% of the contributing authors!

[Margi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Normally I like these types of books, but this one left me bleh. I found only two books in this collection that I would like to further research and read. Being a bibliophile, I found the selection very disappointing.

[Maya Lang · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picked this up randomly at the library... kind of an interesting premise (a bunch of writers talking about books they've read), but I'd hoped it would be better. Some of the essays are better than others.

[Mardi · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the local book clubs donated this to the library. It's a great little book with essays by leading authors discussing their favorite books!

[Avis Black · Rating 1 out of 5]

On the whole, I was neither impressed by the essays nor their choices.

[Julie N · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like books about books, what can I say. Nothing just spectacular about this one, but I got a whole lot of great ideas!