Show Transcript

Time	Speaker	Text
00:00:05	>>	THE MIDAFTERNOON, WELCOME TO THE PANEL ABOUT READING. I AM THE MODERATOR FOR THE PANEL AND I WILL INTRODUCE OUR GUEST. BRIEFLY ABOUT MYSELF VICARIATE THE SERIES AT THE DOWNTOWN CENTRAL LIBRARY [APPLAUSE] PRESENTED BUY THE LIBRARY FOUNDATION OF BOSTON AND AS I AM GLAD SO MANY IF YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH THAT AND THE AUTHOR OF A COUPLE BLOCKS MOST RECENTLY AA A BOOK CALLED SOUVENIR. WE HAVE A DISTINGUISHED PANEL LAURA MILLER WHO IS THE CO-FOUNDER OF IT SALON.COM WHERE SHE IS A STAFF WRITER AND REGULAR CONTRIBUTOR TO "THE NEW YORK TIMES" BOOK REVIEW. HER WORK HAS APPEARED IN MANY, MANY PUBLICATIONS AND THE AUTHOR OF A MAGICIAN'S BOOK. THESE ARE VERY BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS. LIZZIE SKURNICK IS THE BOOK CRITIC OF ON NPR AND THAT ESSAYS HAVE APPEARED IN A RAY OF PUBLICATIONS. HER BEST OF THE WEB PIC AND SHE WRITES ON VINTAGE YOUNG ADULT FICTION. JANE SMILEY IS THE AUTHOR OF MORE THAN 10 NOVELS AND A RECIPIENT OF A PULITZER PRIZE AND A 2,001 INDUCTED INTO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND LETTERS. HER LATEST NOVEL I SHOULD ALSO MENTION SHE IS THE AUTHOR OF 13 WAYS OF LOOKING AT THE NOVEL WHICH WILL BE RELEVANT TOWARD OUR DISCUSSION TODAY. AND THE FORMER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF THAT "PUBLISHERS WEEKLY" SARA NELSON AND CAN CURRENTLY A FREE-LANCE JOURNALIST THE AUTHOR OF SO MANY BOOKS, SO LITTLE TIME. I DID NOT AND 49 THE TITLE TITLE -- AT THIS FESTIVAL OF BOOKS CELEBRATES READERS AND WRITERS AND WE GET TO ADDRESS THE BASIC PREMISE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WRITING AND READING BETWEEN LIVING AND RATING WHICH IS A TALL ORDER THEN WE WANT TO OPEN IT TO YOU WHY AND WHAT AND HOW DO YOU READ? WHAT DRAWS YOU TO A PARTICULAR BOOK IN A PARTICULAR TIME? HOW DO BOOKS CHANGE OUR IDENTITY SHAPE WHO WE ARE, DO THEY? WHAT LOOKS TO RE-READ THE JULY EXPERIENCE AS POSSIBLE? ROLF WALDO EMERSON SAID THERE IS GREATER BREEDING AS WELL AS CREATIVE WRITING AND THIS PANEL SELLERS SAID THERE IS CREATIVITY READING THESE ARE AMBITIOUS TOPIX 48 P AT ALL THEY WILL ADDRESS THESE TOPICS IN CREATIVE WAYS THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF IDEAS OF BEAUTY CARE FOR THE PANELIST OF FIRST THE FIRST IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER OF THE TAB A VERY INTERESTING PROJECT WHICH HAD TO DO WITH READING AND OUT LIKE EACH WANT TO BRIEFLY TELL US ABOUT THE PROJECTS WHICH IN FORM OF BOOKS.
00:03:31	>>	I THOUGHT I DODGED A BULLET. [LAUGHTER] MY BOOK IS ABOUT MY RELATIONSHIP TO THE CHRONICLES OF OUR NEW WHICH WAS MY FAVORITE BOOK WHEN I WAS A KID. WHICH I HAVE PROBABLY READ AND 10 OR 20 TIMES DEPENDING ON WHICH VOLUME WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THEN SAID DISILLUSIONMENT I FELT WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY TEENS I DISCOVERED THEY HAD THIS CHRISTIAN SYMBOLISM HAPPENING WHICH I HAD MISSED AND PRETTY MUCH I HAD NEVER MET ABIZAID CHILD WAS NOT TOLD BY AN ADULT EVERYONE MISSES IT WHEN THEY ARE A KID. IF THAT WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE THAT IS PAR FOR THE COURSE. THAT WAS A PROBLEM FOR ME I FELT KIND OF TREKKED AND BETRAYED BY THAT NOT UNTIL I WAS MUCH OLDER AND FASTER RIGHTS A PIECE ABOUT A BOOK THAT HAD CHANGED MY LIFE I DECIDED TO GO BACK TO THESE BOOKS AND SEE IF THERE WAS ANYTHING LEFT FOR ME. I FOUND I STILL LIKE THEM THEY WERE STILL MEANINGFUL TO BE BUT IN VERY DIFFERENT WAYS. MY BOOK CHARTS THE COURSE OF THAT. IT IS A COMBINATION OF A MEMOIR AND LITERARY CRITICISM AND BIOGRAPHY OF THE AUTHOR. OF THOSE THREE ELEMENTS ARE BRAZEN TOGETHER INTO THE BOOK AND IT GOES THROUGH THE THREE STAGES.
00:05:12	>>	WHEN I CAME UP WITH THE IDEA TO WRITE THIS BOOK, IT REALLY BECAME A DIFFERENT BOOK FROM WHERE I THOUGHT I WAS STARTING AND NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD WRITE 52 BOOK REVIEWS OF A WORKING TITLE WAS 52 BOOKS, 52 WEEKS THAT I WOULD READ ONE BOOK PER WEEK AND WRITE A JOURNAL AND WRITE ABOUT THE BOOK AND HOW WOULD INTERSECTED OR DID NOT INTERSECT WITH MY LIFE. WHAT IT QUICKLY BECAME WAS A BOOK ABOUT WHAPPING MY LIFE AND WHAT I WAS READING AS THINGS ARE HAPPENING IT BECAME MUCH LESS, FOR BETTER OR WORSE AND IN SOME PLACES IT IS BETTER AND OTHERS FOR WORSE IT BECAME A BOOK ABOUT A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A PASSIONATE READER. THE BOOKS I NEVER INTENDED TO BE GREAT BOOKS BUT IT REALLY WAS MORE ABOUT THE LIFE OF A READER AND THE CULTURE OF READING WITH THE AFFIRMATION ABOUT THE BOOK'S THROWN IN. I THINK SOME PEOPLE WERE A LITTLE SURPRISE THAT NEVER KNEW QUITE HOW TO DESCRIBE THAT I HAVE CALLED A MEMOIR/READING DIED AT THE SAME TIME MY BOOK CAME OUT NANCY PEROT CAME OUT HERS HAD A LOT OF PERSONAL STUFF BUT WAS MUCH MORE THIS IS THE LIST OF THE BEST TO READ OF THE SO AND SO. THEY WORKED WELL TOGETHER AS COMPANIONS. BUT A LOT OF WHAT I TALK ABOUT IN THE BOOK WAS STUFF THAT WOULD BE FAMILIAR TO ANYBODY THAT WOULD CONSIDER THEMSELVES A PASSIONATE READER LIKE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN SOMEBODY WHO YOU REALLY, REALLY LIKE A BEST FRIEND OR BOYFRIEND OR PARENT GIVES YOU A BOOK AND THOSE DO IT IS THEIR FAVORITE BOOK AND YOU WILL LOVE IT AND YOU HATE IT? [LAUGHTER] YOU COULD GET RID OF THE BOOK OR GET RID OF THE FRIEND. [LAUGHTER] SO THERE IS ETIQUETTE AROUND LENDING AND BORROWING BOOKS WHEN PEOPLE THINK I'M CRAZY BECAUSE WHEN I GIVE SOMEBODY A BOOK I SAY I AM VERY SPECIFIC AND THIS IS A LOAN OR THIS IS A GIFT I WANTED THIS BACK AND A LOT OF PEOPLE THINK IT IS VERY AND GENEROUS AND IT IS NOT THE 12 OR $20 WHENEVER I WILL SPEND, IT IS JUST I INDEED MY BOOKS AROUND ME AND I NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. [LAUGHTER] THERE IS A LOT OF THE JOCKEYING FOR POSITION IN MY HOUSE FULL OF BOOKS. AM SURE THAT IS TRUE FOR EVERYBODY HERE AND I DO HAVE A SYSTEM WITH IT IS A SYSTEM THAT ONLY I A UNDERSTAND.
00:08:09	>>	THE WHOLE PANEL ITSELF. [LAUGHTER]
00:08:11	>>	SO IT IS AS MUCH ABOUT THAT KIND OF STUFF AS THE INTENTION WAS NEVER TO SAY THESE OF THE 25 BOOKS OR THE 50 BUCKS YOU SHOULD GO OUT AND READ AND WHAT HAPPENED WAS YOU START WITH A LIST A I DID NOT HAVE BEEN 52 LAST BUT BB 25 AND I TRIED TO FOLLOW BY LESS ANYBODY WHO READS A LOT KNOWS ALL THE BEST INTENTIONS OF THE WORLD TO START TO READ SOMETHING AND YOU JUST CAN'T AND TWO WEEKS LATER YOU CAN OR SIX MONTHS AND I EXPLORE THOSE KINDS OF ISSUES.
00:08:49	>>	SHE ALSO TALKS ABOUT LIVING WITH SOMEONE WHO WAS NOT AS PASSIONATE ABOUT BOOKS AS SHE IS WHICH IS AN INTERESTING SUBJECTS. LIZZIE ANSWERS THE QUESTION WHY WASTE TIME REVISITING THE BOOKS OF TROUT COULD LIVE THERE IS SO MUCH ELSE TO READ? CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THAT?
00:09:08	>>	THAT IS THE AUTHOR WROTE MY FOR WORD. [LAUGHTER] OF MY, MY BOOK COMES FROM A COLUMN THAT I WRITE ON A WEB SITE CALLED THE JEZEBEL.COM AND WHEN THEY FORMED A THE WEBSITE IT WAS FOUR WITH MEN BETWEEN AGES 25 THROUGH 55. I WENT TO THE EDITOR AND I SAID I WOULD LIKE TO WRITE A COLUMN ABOUT THE BOOKS WE ALL READ THAT NO ONE KNOWS REREAD I WAS GOING TO CALL YOU TO READ THAT COLUMN. WHAT I HAVE TRIED TO DO GENERALLY SPEAKING WITH TEA AND LITERATURE PEOPLE'S EYES GLAZE OVER AND THEY SAY YOUR TALKY ABOUT BOYS AND FASHION AND THERE IS AN IDEA THAT IT IS STUPID. WHAT I WANTED TO DO WITH MY COLUMN EACH WEEK IS TALK ABOUT THESE BOOKS AND TALK ABOUT WHY THEY WERE IMPORTANT TO US. SOMETIMES THEY DID TALK ABOUT BOYS ARE FASHION BUT THEY WERE BOOKS IN WHICH A 12 YEAR-OLD HAS A CRUSH ON A 70 YEAR-OLD OR BOOKS IN WHICH A TEENAGER GIRL GOES AND HAS AN AFFAIR WITH A HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR. IT IS COMPLICATED. I FEEL THAT IT WAS WONDERFUL ACTUALLY WHEN I WAS A CHILD AND WHAT I SHARE WITH THE WOMEN, THESE BOOKS WERE SO AUTOMATICALLY CONSIDERED SILLY WE WERE GIVEN A LOT OF PRIVACY TO READ THEM NO ONE HAD ANY IDEA WHAT WE WERE READING. [LAUGHTER] THEY DID NOT REALIZE THESE WERE ADULT BOOKS. NOT ALL THE IN TOPIC MATTER BUT THE CONSCIOUSNESS THAT LIFE WAS COMPLICATED. I THINK HALF THE TIME I REALIZE HALF OF THE MEMORIES AND FEELINGS I HAD DID NOT COME FROM MY OWN LIFE EXPERIENCE BUT FROM THESE BOOKS. AND THAT IS WHAT I HAVE TRIED TO DO WITH MY COLUMN. THAT IS WHAT I TRIED TO DO TO GO BACK TO GIVE A VOICE TO THE AUTHOR'S MANY OF WHOM ARE DEAD. I REFUSE TO LOAN MY BOOKS THEY'RE ALL OF PRINT SO THAT IS GENEROUS OF YOU. [LAUGHTER]
00:11:30	>>	BOTH BROUGHT BACK SUCH A MEMORY OF HOURS SPENT READING UNDER AGE THREE AND CALLED FIRST CITY. CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT YOUR AMBITIOUS PROJECT?
00:11:42	>>	MY PROJECT DID NOT START OFF AFTER 9/11 I WAS AT A LOSS AS FOR A LOT OF WRITERS SO I SAID I WOULD READ THE MOST DISTANT POSSIBLE NOVEL THERE WAS WHICH WAS WAS WRITTEN IN 11 OF FOUR. I WOULD SIT IN MY BEDROOM SURROUNDED WITH ALL OF THIS SHADES CLOSE TO IT IS 1,000 PAGES LONG IT IS NOT EASY READING I WOULD GET LOST BUT IT WAS VERY RELEVANT BECAUSE A LOT OF THE NOVEL IS ABOUT HOW FLEETING LIFE IS WHICH IS WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE TIME BUT YET IT WAS ALSO VERY AT PAINED BUT THEN I TRIED ANOTHER ONE AND I REREAD IN 25 YEARS. THEY WERE ABOUT VIOLENCE AND AN IMPLACABLE AT AMENITY. SO WHEN I WERE MADE MY WAY, I REALIZE THERE WERE THINGS ABOUT THESE NOVELS THAT WERE VERY SIMILAR TO ONE ANOTHER NO MATTER HOW DISTANT THEY WERE GEOGRAPHICALLY OR IN TIME. THAT MADE ME WONDER ABOUT THE NATURE OF THE NOVEL. I DECIDED TO READ 276 NOVELS ONE EACH YEAR STARTING I GUESS SUPPOSEDLY OF 1720 BUT THE LIST SHRANK. [LAUGHTER] BUT THEN I READ 100 IT TURNED OUT TO BE 130 BECAUSE I COUNTED ONE OF THEM AS ONE BOOK IT WAS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL I WOULD SAY I HAVE WORK TO DO AND GO INTO MY ROOM AND READ A BOOK. [LAUGHTER] IT WAS LIKELY EDUCATING MYSELF GOING BACK TO COLLEGE BUT HAVING WRITTEN NOVELS MYSELF, I HAD MORE OF A SENSE I WAS LESS THAN OFF AND MORE RESPECTFUL OF THE WAY OTHER AUTHORS WERE DOING. AND AS A RESULT I NOW HAVE NO CRITICAL STANDARDS AT ALL. [LAUGHTER] I DID NOT LOVE EVERY NOVEL BUT I CAME AWAY WITH THE FEELING THEY WERE IN COMPARABLE TO ONE ANOTHER PER CAR COULD NOT SAY SUCH AND SUCH WAS THE GREATEST BUT ONLY SAY I REALLY LIKE THIS ONE OR THAT ONE OR THAT WAS NOT TO MY TASTE. BUT IT IS LIKE HAVING A MIDLIFE EDUCATION I VALUE THAT TIME AND ENJOYED IT.
00:14:38	>>	THAT PLAYS A LITTLE INTO WHAT WAS GOING TO ASK YOU TO CONSIDER NEXT. IN DOLORES BOOK WITH HER EXPERIENCE WITH C.S. LEWIS AND THE NERDY OF BOOKS COMMENT TALK ABOUT IS IT AND A AT SA OR A BUT?
00:14:59	>>	THAT THE ECCENTRIC NOTION THAT PEOPLE TAKE A BOOK MIGHT HAVE A CLUE AS TO ITS WORTH AND TO ADDRESS THAT AND THE LIST OF THE CRITERIA DID YOU CALL THEM TROUVILLE THE DREARY
00:15:20	>>	YES. BUT NOT USING THE TERM IN THE WAY THAT WE WOULD NOW IT TALKS ABOUT THOSE WHO FAVOR WHAT THEY READ FOR MORE THAN THE PLOT BUT THE FIRST ENCOUNTER WAS AN EXPERIENCE SO MOMENTOUS AND ONLY EXPERIENCES OF LOVE OR RELIGION OR BEREAVEMENT CAN FURNISH A STANDARD OF COMPARISON. WHAT HE IS SAYING IS IT IS THE QUALITY OF ATTENTION BROUGHT TO THE BOOK THAT MATTERS. THAT IS SOMETHING YOU ALL TALK ABOUT SO MAYBE YOU CAN ADDRESS THAT A LITTLE BIT?
00:16:00	>>	IT IS FUNNY BECAUSE WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE BOOK WHEN I FIRST ARE DEAD WRITING THIS COLUMN ON JEZEBEL.COM YOU CAN COMMENT AND EVERY SINGLE BLOCK WOULD START TO GET THESE TWO OR 300 COMMENTS BELOW THE COLUMN AND IT WOULD BE PEOPLE I'VE OF THIS BOOK. AND WHAT WOULD ALSO COME UP WERE THESE VERY VISCERAL DETAILS OF THINGS THEY REMEMBERED. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS WRITING ABOUT A WRINKLE IN TIME I SAID LIVERWURST AND CREAM CHEESE SANDWICHES AND FIVE OR SIX GIRLS SAID ACTUALLY LIMBURGER. [LAUGHTER] EVERYBODY HAVE THOSE DETAILS LINE OF THE RAMONA BOOKS THE MOTHER AND FATHER ARE IN A FIGHT AND THE FATHER TO INDICATE HIS DISPLEASURE SLASHES THE PANCAKES TO SHOW HER THEY ARE NOT DEAD AND THIS IS THE IMAGE THAT CAME UP AGAIN AND AGAIN IN THE COMMENTS IT IS A TRAUMATIC THING WE ALL SHARE THAT THE FATHER SLASHES THE PANCAKE. [LAUGHTER] AND I THINK IN TERMS OF ATTENTION TO THE BOOK THAT IS THE FUNNY THING BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO REMEMBER IS THAT WHEN YOU ARE TRYING TO PAY ATTENTION OR TAKE NOTES BUT THESE ODD THINGS THAT COME UP LATER THAT YOU REALIZE HAVE AFFECTED DO AND APPARENTLY THAT IS THE WORST THING AS A HUSBAND CAN NEVER DO. [LAUGHTER] THAT IS WHY I AM NOT MARRIED. [LAUGHTER]
00:17:38	>>	LAURA, TALKING ABOUT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN READING AND IT IS SO ELOQUENT, READING CHRONICLES OF NARNIA AS A CHILD THEN AS AN ADULT AND NOT WANTING TO SETTLE.
00:17:51	>>	IT SOMETIMES FEEL THAT PEOPLE DON'T TALK ABOUT, WE ARE ENGAGED IN A SIMILAR PROJECT DID NOT TALK ABOUT THESE BOOKS THAT WERE SO IMPORTANT TO THEM WHEN THEY'RE YOUNG THEY HAVE SET ASIDE A SPECIAL CATEGORY THAT WHEN I WAS READING AN EXPERIMENT AND CRITICISM AND MAYBE THE BEST WAY TO JUDGE A BOOK IS BY HOW PEOPLE READ IT. THERE IS ONE PERSON IN THE WORLD FOR WHOM YOU COULD NOT CHANGE A LINE IN THE BOOK WITHOUT A PERSON OBJECTING THAN NO MATTER HOW WE FEEL WE SHOULD STOP AND SAY THERE IS PROBABLY MORE HERE THAN WE ARE ADMITTING. OR THEN WE CAN SEE. SO I WANT TO FIGURE OUT SOMEHOW AND BETWEEN ALL OF THE THINGS OF THE SERIOUS FICTION AND NONFICTION THAT I MAY BE WRITING ABOUT FOUR PUBLICATIONS AND IN THIS LITTLE ISLAND OF INTENSE READING EXPERIENCES I HAVE AS A CHILD WHY IS THIS CAVERN AND WHY IS IT NOT A TOPIC OF SERIOUS DISCUSSION? I THINK BECAUSE WE TEND TO VALUE WRITERS MORE THAN READERS ALTHOUGH IT SEEMS LIKE THERE ARE SO MANY MORE WRITERS AND READERS. [LAUGHTER] THAT MAYBE WE SHOULD THINK OF SWITCHING BETTER GROUND. WANT TO CONNECT TO THE CHILD AND ADULT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT RELATIONSHIP WAS.
00:19:22	>>	ONE OF THE THINGS I DISCOVERED OR IT REALIZE WAS THE BOOK AND THE NOVEL ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. THE BOOK IS SITTING ON THE TABLE THE NOVEL IS IN YOUR MIND. THE NOVEL IN MY MIND AS A WRITER OR READER IS ENTIRELY DIFFERENT FROM THE NOVEL IN THE READER'S MIND. I HAVE NO ACCESS TO THAT. THE THING I ALWAYS THINK OF IS THAT IN THE MIND THERE ARE THESE IMAGES AND IDEAS THAT PRECIPITATE INTO WORDS AND THEY REST ON THE PAGE THEN WHEN "THE READER" OPENS THE BOOK THEY VAPORIZE INTO THE READER'S MIND. SINCE IT DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO A READER'S MIND I CANNOT JUDGE HOW THAT READER IS READING OR WHAT IT IS GETTING FROM THE BUCK. I CAN ONLY HAVE THEIR READERS SAY I DID ENJOY IT OR I DID NOT ENJOY IT. WHEN I REALIZE THAT, FOR ME, I REALIZED 37 NOVEL IS SUCH A JULE IS THAT IT CULTIVATES THIS INNER LIFE AMONG THE READERS FOR AS I LOOK PAST BACK THROUGH THE HISTORY OF THE NOVEL, YOU COULD SEE THE INNER LIFE OF READERS IS BEING CULTIVATED AND THIS IS A RECIPROCAL THING BETWEEN READERS AND WRITERS SO THAT BY THE BEGINNING OF THE 20th CENTURY, A WRITER EXPECTED "THE READER" TO HAVE MADE VERY FALL AND RICH AND INTROSPECT A BETTER LIFE WHERE THE 16th CENTURY AT THE TIME, WHAT WERE THEY DOING IN THEIR HEADS? I HAVE NO IDEA. [LAUGHTER] THEY COULD NOT CARRY DISCUSSIONS OF THINGS THAT MIGHT BE TAKING PLACE. THEY COULD NOT CARRY THEM VERY FAR BECAUSE THEY WERE BLOCKED BY HAVING NO LANGUAGE TO DISCUSS THEM WITH. BY THE TIME THAT A BOVERI WAS WRITTEN THEY HAD A LANGUAGE OF WHICH TO DISCUSS THEM. BY THE TIME THE MAN WITHOUT QUALITIES WAS WRITTEN THEY HAD A GREATER LANGUAGE TO DISCUSS. THIS FASCINATED ME HOW THE NOVEL HAD IT HAD TRANSFORMED BECAUSE IT WAS POPULAR BECAUSE OF WHO WE WERE AND ALSO THE WAY WE THINK. AND IT IS ALL BASED ON MY MIND AND THAT IDEA THAT THE NOVEL ENTERS YOUR MIND IN A VERY COMPLEX WAY AND CULTIVATES YOUR WAY OF THINKING THROUGH THESE IMAGES THAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT.
00:22:12	>>	SHE SPOKE AT THE LIBRARY THE OTHER NIGHTS THAT YOU THOUGHT READING A NOVEL REQUIRED A MORE MEDITATIVE STATE BAN READING NONFICTION I AM THINKING ABOUT THAT. I AGREE AND DISAGREE WE WILL HAVE TIME FOR THAT.
00:22:30	>>	I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY, EVERYBODY IN THIS ROOM HAS HAD THE FEELING OF FALLING IN LOVE WITH A BOOK AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT IT IS. THE WORLD TELESCOPES WITH YOU AND THE BOOK AND YOU AND THE PEOPLE IN THE BOOK. WHEN WHAT I WAS INTERESTED IN IS IN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT SPECIFICALLY, AND MAYBE 10 PEOPLE IN THIS ROOM WERE IN LOVE WITH THE SAME BOOK BUT POSSIBLY FOR 10 COMPLETE THE DIFFERENT REASONS. SOMETHING THAT WAS IN THE BOOK THAT SPOKE TO YOU ARE REMINDED YOU OF SOMETHING IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE PERSON NEXT TO YOU. IT IS A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT TAKE AND HAS EVERYTHING OBVIOUSLY TO DO WHAT YOU BRING TO THE EXPERIENCE OF READING THE BOOK. A LOT OF OTHER THINGS IT SEEMS TO ME SOMETIMES YOU HAVE AN IRRATIONAL DISLIKE OF A BOOK. BECAUSE THE CHARACTER HAS RED HAIR LIKE YOUR FIRST GRADE TEACHER AND YOU HATED HER FIRST GRADE TEACHER. OR HAS THE SAME NAME AS YOUR MOTHER AND YOU LOVE THE MOTHER. THERE ARE ALL KINDS OF WAYS OF THE TINIEST DETAILS WORK ON US AND IT HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WHAT WE BRING TO THEM. WHAT I WAS FIND SO INTERESTING AND I PROBABLY DO IN MY LIFE FAIRLY OBNOXIOUS IF I AM A DOCTOR'S OFFICE OR A TRAIN OR BUS AND SOMEBODY IS READING SOMETHING.
00:24:04	>>	I ALWAYS DO THAT.
00:24:08	>>	I ASKED THEM AND TALK TO THEM LIKE THEY'RE NOT GOING TO HIT MAY. [LAUGHTER] AMID A WOMAN RECENTLY MY DENTIST'S OFFICE READING A HARD COVER COPY AND A LOT I THOUGHT SHE WAS 22 OR SOMETHING. IT WAS CLEARLY A INLET COLLEGE LIBRARY COPY AND SHE IS READING IT FOR A COURSE BUT SOMETIMES SEE IF YOU THINK IT IS A SNOBBY THING THAT WE ALL DO BUT WE DO JUDGE PEOPLE BY WHAT WE SEE THEM READING. [LAUGHTER] SOMETIMES YOU CAN BE SURPRISED US SOMEBODY WHO LOOKS LIKE THEY WOULD NOT BE READING MONTANA AT IS READING THAT OR THE OTHER WAY AROUND. THERE IS A PIECE IN "THE NEW YORK TIMES" ABOUT THE AMAZON KINDLE WHICH I CONTRIBUTED TO AND ONE OF THE SUBJECTS IS THE PROBLEM READING THAT WAY IS YOU DON'T HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE PERSON NEXT U.S. READING. [LAUGHTER] SO YOU CAN TO ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION IN YOUR OWN MIND OR WITH THE PERSON. [LAUGHTER] SO WHICH I ACTUALLY DON'T HATE I AM SORRY TO SAY IT IS LIKE A PLAIN BROWN WRAPPER OF THE 21st CENTURY.
00:25:38	>>	THE BOOK COVER IS SUCH A GREAT TRADITION.
00:25:42	>>	YES. THIS IS GOING OFF THE SUBJECT BUT I DON'T THINK THE TRADITIONAL BOOK IS EVER GOING TO GO AWAY. I THINK ANYTHING THAT MAKES MORE PEOPLE READ IS BY NINE JUST A LITTLE DISAPPOINTED I CANNOT DELVE INTO PEOPLE'S LIVES. [LAUGHTER]
00:26:01	>>	CAN I TELL LITTLE STORY? ONE TIME I HAD TO FLY TO NEW YORK AND THE PLANE WAS REALLY EARLY CLIMB MONTEREY SLIGH FELL ASLEEP ON THE SAN FRANCISCO PLAYED AND WHEN I WOKE UP I HEARD THE WOMAN NEXT TO ME LAUGHING. I OPEN MY EYES AND AS I DID I SAW SHE WAS READING MY BOOK. I TURNED AND SAID THAT IS MY BOOK SHE SAID KNOW IT IS NOT, IT IS MINE. I BOUGHT IT. [LAUGHTER] I SAID NO I WROTE IT SHE SAID OF GAP. [LAUGHTER] ONE NOVELIST TOLD ME ONCE SHE WAS RIDING LONG ISLAND RAILROAD AND THREE SEATS IN FRONT OF HIM SOMEBODY WAS READING HIS BOOK THAT JUST CAME OUT HE SAID OH MY GOD THAT PERSON IS READING MY BOOK AND THEN THE PERSON JUST TALKED AND PLUG IT DOWN ANTI-SAID NOT THERE. NOT THERE. [LAUGHTER] TALKING ABOUT THREE READING YOU TALK ABOUT THE TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LOVE WE HAVE IN OUR LIVES AND THE MATURE LOVE WHEN YOU GO BACK AND READ SOMETHING, WE'RE READING CRITICALLY AS ADULTS AND MAYBE THE WAY WE DID NOT READ AS CHILDREN BUT MAYBE YOU ARE MORE FORGIVING?
00:27:35	>>	ONE OF THE THINGS I DID NOT WANT TO DO WAS TURN INTO A BIG SENTIMENTAL NOSTALGIA FEST OF LOST CHILD SAID AND I DON'T READ THEM OF THE WAY I DID BACK THEN. BECAUSE THERE ARE BETTER THINGS ABOUT THE WAY I READ NOW. WHEN I WAS A CHILD, I WOULD FOLLOW AN AUTHOR ANYWHERE AND PICKED UP ALL KINDS OF BAD IDEAS FROM OF THEM -- SOME OF THEM FROM C.S. LEWIS PARKER NOT THE IDEAS HE WANTED ME TO PICK UP APPARENTLY BUT OTHERS. SO YOU DON'T WANT, IT IS NOT A GOOD THING TO BE TOTALLY LAID OPEN TO AN AUTHOR OF THE TIME. WE WANT PEOPLE TO THINK FOR THEMSELVES FOR REAL REASONS. I ALSO THINK IT IS ALWAYS VERY EASY TO IDEALIZE YOUR CHILDHOOD BECAUSE YOU REMEMBER ALL THE GREAT THINGS AND DON'T REMEMBER HOW POWERLESS YOU WEREN'T THAT SENTIMENTAL CONDITION IS THAT YOU HAVE NO POWER AND READING LIZZIE BOOK WHICH I WAS TOTALLY IN BED WITH IN MY HOTEL ROOM LAST NIGHT TO DESCRIBE THESE MOMENTS WHERE YOUR PARENTS MAKE YOU MOVE FOR ANY OF THESE THINGS THAT THESE BOOKS ARE ABOUT THAT YOU COMPLETELY FORGET ABOUT WHEN YOU ARE AN ADULT. I WANT TO SAY WHAT IS THE VALUE OF THE WAY THAT I READ NOW INSTEAD OF BEING SAD IT IS NOT THIS INTENSE EXPERIENCE? UNREALIZED IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE WAY WHAT HAPPENS BUT YOU HAVE THIS IDEALIZED EXPERIENCE WITH A PERSON AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN YOU DO HAVE A PERIOD OF DISILLUSIONMENT THEN THERE IS A CERTAIN WAY YOU THAN TO LIVE WITH THE THINGS THAT YOU DO NOT NECESSARILY LIKE ABOUT THEM THAT MAKES YOU A BIGGER PERSON. THAT IS HOW I CAME TO FEEL ABOUT THESE BOOKS. ALWAYS SAY MY READING EXPERIENCES IN THE BEGINNING WITH THE NARNIA BOOKS WERE VERY, VERY PEER BUT THE READING EXPERIENCES AS AN ADULT ARE MORE RICH. I KNOW MORE. I UNDERSTAND MORE PER CAR RECOGNIZE OTHER BOOKS IN THEM THAT I MET LATER IN LIFE THAT I HAD THE RECOGNITION EXPERIENCE WHEN I FIRST READ SPENCER AND JANE AUSTEN AND ALL KINDS OF THINGS BACK ROAD AND THE C.S. LEWIS RATINGS BECAUSE HE WAS A MORE OBSESSIVE READER THAN ANYONE ON THIS PANEL. SO NOW ALL I GIVE CREDIT TO THAT EXPERIENCE IT IS A LITTLE LESS COMPLETE AND TOTAL IMMERSION BUT BECAUSE I AM MORE OF A PERSONNEL. ALSO I FELT WHEN I WAS A CHILD I ALWAYS WANTED TO GROW BY DID NOT WANT TO BE IN THIS AND VALUED EXPERIENCE I THOUGHT OF THE WHOLE SONGS OF INNOCENCE THAT YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT EXPERIENCE TO HAVE VALUE AND THAT WAS THE THING THAT I'VE CAME AS AN ADULT READER.
00:30:49	>>	ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A STORY?
00:30:52	>>	I HAVE A VERY PROFOUND BECAUSE I READ ALL OF THESE BOOKS AS AND A YEAR-OLD AND COME BACK AS A 35 YEAR-OLD. I WAS SURPRISED THAT ONLY BY WHAT I HAD MISSED BUT THAT IT DID NOT MATTER THAT I HAD MISSED THESE THINGS. THERE IS A BOOK CALLED THEN AGAIN, MAYBE I WANT. ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS THE BOY EIGHT KEEPS WALKING AROUND WITH AN ERECTION. [LAUGHTER] AND OF COURSE, WHEN I READ THAT I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT I SAID HE CARRIES HIS PACKAGE OF BOOKS TO THE FRONT OF THE ROOM BUT THEN I WAS 19 I FIGURED OUT WHAT IT WAS. [LAUGHTER] BUT THAT INTERESTED ME SO MUCH THAT I DID NOT KNOW WHAT THE REFERENCE OF DEWEY DEFEATS TRUMAN OR I DID NOT KNOW WHAT A WORK CAMP IT SPEAKS TO THE FACT THEY WERE OPERATING ON A MORE HIGHER LEVEL BUT HE WAS NERVOUS AND HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS THAT WAS THE FUNDAMENTALLY INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE BOOK PROVIDED THAT NO WHO MARGARET O'BRIEN WAS. BEFORE WIKIPEDIA THERE IS NO WAY FOR ME TO FIND OUT. IT IS LIKE THE S.A.T. TEST AND YOU KNOW, WHAT THE WORD IS SUPPOSED TO MEAN THAT THAT IS ONE OF THE THINGS ABOUT GOING BACK AND READING THE BOOKS AS A CHILD, YOU DON'T FILL IN THE BLANKS YOU SEE THAT THEY DID NOT MATTER AND THAT IS NOT WHAT THE BOOKS WERE ABOUT.
00:32:37	>>	THAT IS HOW I READ NOVELS IN FRENCH WE DON'T KNOW THAT WORD AND THEN WE GO ON.
00:32:44	>>	ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THE NOVEL I HAVE READ OVER THE YEARS WHAT I ADORE IS THERE IS A BOOK IN MY MIND AND THEN WHEN I OPENED THE PAGE, I SEE THOSE WORDS AND REMEMBER THEM ALTHOUGH I HAD NOT BEEN THINKING IN TERMS OF THEM. I AM SIMULTANEOUSLY GETTING GOOD TO PLEASURES WHICH WAS WAS NEVER IN MY MIND THAT IS A PLEASURE FROM WHAT REMAINS FOR READING THE BOOK BEFORE AND RECONNECTING OR GETTING REACQUAINTED WITH THE WORDS IN THIS ORDER THAT IS IN THE AUTHOR'S STYLE. THAT ALWAYS FEELS OFTEN FEELS LIKE YOU ARE WE EXPERIENCING EVEN MORE VIVIDLY THAN WE DID THE LAST TIME THAN -- THAT YOU READ IT. THAT IS THE WONDERFUL THING YOU CAN NOT MEMORIZE IT. THEY ARE WAITING FOR YOU ON THE PAGE TO STIMULATE YOU ALL OVER AGAIN.
00:33:58	>>	NO. I HAD DONE SOME READING IN THE COURSE OF THIS BOOK AND I DO, BUT THE TITLE IS SO MANY BUGS, SO LITTLE TIME. [LAUGHTER] I HAVE OTHER THINGS TO DO. [LAUGHTER]
00:34:12	>>	HAVE YOU READ THOMAS FRIEDMAN? HE IS ON YOUR LIST IS VERY IMPORTANT.
00:34:19	>>	I KNOW I KNOW. BUT IT IS RISKY. IT BRINGS IN THE OF THE EMISSIONS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE AND SO MUCH OF WHAT I REMEMBER ABOUT BOOKS, I OFTEN REMEMBER LINES FROM BOOKS I READ 10 YEARS AGO AND HOW MANY BOOKS AGO WAS THAT? BUT A LOT OF IT HAS TO DO WITH WHAT I WAS DOING. I CAN TELL YOU I READ SOME BOOKS EITHER 1990 OR 1991 IT WAS THE WINTER BECAUSE I REMEMBER IT WAS SNOWING OUTSIDE AND IT MADE ME THINK OF MY FATHER WHO WAS DYING OR HAD JUST DIED. AND THAT IS WHAT I REMEMBER ABOUT THAT BOOK AS MUCH AS A LINE SO TO READ IN A DIFFERENT CONTEXT WILL BRING SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
00:35:15	>>	IT IS SO INTERESTING WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT WHY WE CHOOSE THE BOOKS WE CHOOSE WHEN REACHED USE THEM. OF ALL OF THE BOX AROUND DO AND WHAT YOU PICK UP TODAY WHAT IS IT ABOUT THIS MOMENT THAT WILL ACTUALLY PICK UP ONE AND READ IT? YOU MENTIONED IN YOUR BUCK RIGHT AFTER SEPTEMBER 11 TALKING TO PEOPLE WHAT THEY WERE READING SO I WENT SCURRYING BACK TO MY JOURNAL YESTERDAY AND THOUGHT WHAT WAS I READING? I USUALLY HAVE NONFICTION BY READING AND A NOVEL AT THE SAME TIME. I WAS SURPRISED BECAUSE I DID NOT FIND A NOVEL AND I WAS READING POETRY AND I THINK MAYBE A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE BUT DO YOU REMEMBER?
00:36:07	>>	I WAS READING WHAT I ALWAYS READ 10 TIMES, I EIGHTH READ A LOT OF FOUR -- I GO BACK AND READ ABOUT THE STOREHOUSE BOOKS. [LAUGHTER] WHICH SOUNDS FUNNY BUT I FOUND EVERY TIME I READ THEM WITH SEEMS LIKE TO GO BACK TO ESCAPE IT IS THE IDEA.
00:36:28	>>	A SURVIVALIST.
00:36:30	>>	THOSE PEOPLE COULD NOT CATCH A BREAK. THERE HOUSE WOULD BE BURNED DOWN, OR MOVED INTO INDIAN TERRITORY WHERE THEY WOULD LOSE A CHILD, THE LOCUST WOULD COME. [LAUGHTER] AND THERE IS THIS IDEA OF THE BRAZILIANS CONSTANTLY SAYING THERE IS NO GREAT LOSS ABOUT SOME SMALL GAME. WHEN THE LOCUST EAT ALL THEIR CROPS THAN THE IDEA THAT THE CHICKENS SUNDOWN 1/2 TO BUY CHICKEN FEED. AS STUPID AS IT IS IT IS ACTUALLY TRUE. DURING THE CRISIS I WROTE ABOUT THE LONG WINTER WHICH IS ONE OF THE BOOKS WHEN THE ENTIRE TOWN IS NOTED FOR NINE MONTHS BARBARO WAS SO FASCINATED WHEN IT WENT BACK AND READ IT NOW WAS REALLY NOT ABOUT THE WINTER IT WAS ABOUT A HIGH USING CRISIS THEY HAD STAKES CLAIM THE GOVERNMENT DID NOT SUPPORT THEM THAN THEY WERE ISOLATED AND LEFT OUT THERE IN THE WINTER BY THEMSELVES. [LAUGHTER] ALT A.
00:37:49	>>	I WAS WORKING SO I WAS READING AT THE TIME THE ATTACKS HAPPENED I THINK I DID AN INTERVIEW TWO DAYS BEFORE THAT AND AFTER THAT ALL I READ WAS BOOKS ABOUT IS LONG BECAUSE I NEEDED TO WRITE ABOUT THEM FOR WORK FOR CRY JUST FOLLOWED EVERYBODY INTO THAT LITTLE TUNNEL. IF I READ ANYTHING TO ESCAPE BY REMEMBER BECAUSE I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO KEEP THAT JOURNAL OF THINGS I HAVE WRITTEN.
00:38:20	>>	USUALLY I WILL MENTION IT IN THE COURSE OF KEEPING MY JOURNAL IS A MEASURE BUT THEN I WOULD HAVE TO KEEP A JOURNAL. [LAUGHTER]
00:38:36	>>	JANE MENTIONED IN HER BOOK CLOSE TO THE BEGINNING IN A WORLD WHERE WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION ARE PERMANENT FEATURES OF THE LANDSCAPE I CANNOT HELP BELIEVING A LIVELY SENSE OF OTHER CONSCIOUSNESS ON THE PARTS OF PEOPLE FINGERS ON THE TRIGGER IS ESSENTIAL TO HUMAN SURVIVAL I WAS THINKING HELP FORTUNATE TO HAVE A PRESIDENT THAT IS THAT ONLY A WRITER BUT A READER AND LOOKING AT HIS READING LIST WHICH MADE ME COME ACROSS AND READING WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE TO A GROUP OF CHILDREN WHICH SHE DID VERY, VERY WELL. [LAUGHTER] AND FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS, INVISIBLE MAN, THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK? THAT WAS EXTREMELY ENCOURAGING I THOUGHT. [LAUGHTER] POEMS, HAMLET, THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MALCOLM X AND MOBY DICK. OR WE ENCOURAGE?
00:39:30	>>	I DON'T BELIEVE THAT IS HIS LAST. [LAUGHTER] MAYBE THAT IS ON HIS TO READ LESS STEADY WELL BUT I LOVE THEM BUT THERE HAS TO BE A JAMES PATTERSON IN THEIR WAR AND ESCAPIST OR SOMETHING.
00:39:59	>>	I DID RIGHTED PIECE ABOUT LITERARY INFLUENCES ON HIM AND THOSE BOOKS ARE MENTIONED IN DREAMS OF MY FATHER BUT SOME THAT YOU LISTED, I THINK HEMINGWAY.
00:40:21	>>	THAT IS SO WEIRD HOW MANY GUYS HAVE READ THE GOLDEN NOTEBOOK? ANYONE? I REST MY CASE. HOW MANY WOMEN? GOOD. THAT IS THE ONE I REMEMBER WHERE I WAS WHEN I WAS READING IT.
00:40:48	>>	I KNOW WE HAVE PASSIONATE READERS IN THIS ROOM AND THERE'S A LOT TO TALK ABOUT I WANT TO OPEN IT UP TO THE AUDIENCE IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, COME FORWARD AND WE WILL CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION WITH YOU. WE HAVE A QUESTION? WATCH YOUR STEP.
00:41:13	>>	WITH THE EXCEPTION OF JANE, THE REST OF YOU HAVE WRITTEN A BOOK AFTER TWO OF HUD'S -- CHILDHOODS BUT WHAT ABOUT WRITING AND PUBLISHING YORK FIRST BOOKS CHANGE HOW YOU READ IF AT ALL?
00:41:35	>>	I HAVE WRITTEN SALON.COM BUCKS BUT I AM SURE YOU DID NOT READ THEM. [LAUGHTER] I DON'T KNOW I GUESS THESE ARE VERY DIFFERENT FROM PUBLISHING I DID PUBLISH SAY BOOK OF POETRY BUT I DO NOT FEEL THAT WHEN YOU READ YOUR IN YOUR ROOM AND END WHEN YOU PUBLISH TO TALK ABOUT IT TO OTHER PEOPLE. YOU HAVE TO READ YOURSELF WHICH IS FOR ALL.
00:42:15	>>	I HAVE THE EXPERIENCE, THE IDEA IS I WOULD READ WHAT EVER I WANTED FOR ONE YEAR AND THERE WERE NO LIMITS I EXPLAINED IN THE BOOK I WAS GIVEN BOOKS OR BOOKS THAT ALREADY HAVE YOUR FREE BOOKS I OWNED BUT YOU ARE STILL READING FOR WORK. I HAD TO READ ONE BOOK PER WEEK FOR ONE YEAR BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I WAS CONTACTED AND SET OUT TO DO. AND EVEN THOUGH THERE ARE BOOKS IN THE BOOK THAT I DID NOT FINISH THAT BECOMES THE STORY THE LIST CHANGES AS YOU GO ALONG, WHEN YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE TO WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING, HOWEVER YOU WILL BE WRITING ABOUT IS A VERY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCE FROM WHAT YOU READ WIN YOU REALLY JUST PICK UP WHAT IS NEXT TO YOU OR WHAT IS ACROSS THE ROOM. IT IS CLOSER TO THE EXPERIENCE I HAD FOUR YEARS AS A BIG DECEIVED OTHER -- MAGAZINE EDITOR BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I HAD TO DO WITH THAT WAS NOT AN ENTIRELY FREE EXPERIENCE I STILL HAVE LIMITS. I DON'T KNOW THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
00:43:35	>>	I WOULD SAY IN MY BOOK AND WRITING AND OTHER NONFICTION BOOK ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT THE KIND OF READING I DO A LOT OF RESEARCH READING AND HISTORY BUT WHEN I READ SOMEBODY ELSE'S MEMOIR OR NOVEL I LOVE THE MOMENT WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SOMETHING SPRINGS OPEN IN MY HEAD LIKE THE PROBLEM I AM WORKING ON IN MY OWN BOOK SPRINGS TO LIFE. IS SOMETHING OF THE QUALITY OF THE VOICE OR THE WAY IDEAS SLIPPING TOGETHER AND MAYBE NOT EVEN RELEVANT TO THE SAME SUBJECT BUT I LOVE THAT. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO ATTRACT BECAUSE IT IS ON A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT SUBJECTS IT IS THE OPENING MOMENT AND A REAL SPECIAL DELIGHT ABOUT READING WHEN YOU'RE ALSO WORKING ON YOUR OWN MATERIAL.
00:44:29	>>	I HAVE BEEN READING A BOOK WHICH IS A BODY OF WORK AND THE WINNER FOUR YEARS AGO WAS A-- AND I HAVE BEEN READING STEADILY NOW FOR 15 MONTHS. THE INTERESTING THING TO ME HAS BEEN I DON'T MIND READING STUFF THAT I HAVE TO READ EVEN IF I DON'T LIKE IT. [LAUGHTER] MY CRITICAL STANDARDS HAVE COLLAPSED FOR CRYER READ A BOOK EVERY THREE DAYS DEPENDING ON A LENGTH SOMETIMES IT IS FIVE DAYS. AND I HAVE LOVED THIS EXPERIENCE PERCOLATE ARE BOOKS I WOULD NOT HAVE PICKED UP VOLUNTARILY THAT I HAD TO PICK UP BECAUSE I LIKE THIS SOFTWARE I FEEL ONCE AGAIN MY WORLD HAS EXPANDED IN A WAY THAT I DID NOT EXPECT AND SORTS OF FEARED FOR I THOUGHT THAT BY FOLLOWED MY OWN PACE I WOULD REACH ENLIGHTENMENT BUT THAT IS NOT TRUE. [LAUGHTER]
00:45:45	>>	WOULD YOU READ THIS PASSAGE ABOUT AUTHORS READING AUTHORS?
00:45:52	>>	A LOT OF MY RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE BOOKS THAT I HAVE READ CAME FROM OTHER AUTHORS I WAS READING PER CRY CAME TO REALIZE THERE ARE ONLY TWO DEGREES OF SEPARATION FOR A NOVELIST. RENO FROM THEIR OWN TESTIMONY THAT JAMES READ DICKENS THEY READ SMALLER IF YOU READ MARGUERITE TO READ AND OF COURSE, FORCED TO READ DICKENS DICKENS READ SCOTT, [INAUDIBLE]
00:47:08	>>	SO WHAT ARE YOU RECOMMENDING AT THE MOMENT? HOW OFTEN OF WHAT YOU READ DO YOU IMMEDIATELY FEEL PEOPLE INDEED TO READ THIS? OUT ANGELICO ARE YOU?
00:47:24	>>	WHEN I READ THE NOVEL THE WAR AT THE END OF THE WORLD I WROTE TO MY NOTES THIS IS THE BOOK THAT "WAR AND PEACE" AND WANTED TO ME. [LAUGHTER]
00:47:36	>>	I READ ON MY AMAZON CAN GO ON THE WAY OUT HERE, BUT IT IS FANTASTIC IT JUST WON THE PULITZER IN THIS STORY IS THE REAL TEST FOR ME THAT I REALLY LOVE IS THAT WHY I DON'T HATE TO THE AMAZON KINDLE IT IS A LOT HEARTED TO GET TRANSPORTED TO THE PLACE THAT YOU FORGET THE FOUR WRAPPER I THINK THIS WILL BE THE REAL TEST FOR BOOKS THAT GET PUBLISHED BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE COVER YOU DON'T HAVE THE SUPPLEMENTAL DRAWS THE WEIGHT OF THE BOOK AND THE PAPER AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT READERS LOVE IT IS JUST YOU AND THE WORDS ON THE PAGE AND IF YOU LOVE THE BOOK, YOU SORT OF FORGET OR CLOSE TO FORGET YOU ARE PUSHING THESE BUTTONS RATHER THAN HAVING THESE OTHER THINGS IF YOU DON'T IT WILL BE A LOT HARDER. THAT IS MY VERY, VERY HIGH RECOMMENDATION.
00:48:51	>>	ACTUALLY I WAS GOING TO SAY I TRIED VERY, VERY HARD BUT I WOULD RECOMMEND A BUT, I DON'T REALLY LIKE NONFICTION BUT I DID READ A BOOK THAT WAS WONDERFUL CALLED NOTES FROM NO-MAN'S LAND SHE IS AN ESSAYIST. I WAS FAMILIAR WITH HER WORK THROUGH HER POETRY SLIDE PICKED UP THE BOOK. I REALLY THINK THESE ARE SOME OF THE MOST WONDERFUL ESSAYS I HAVE EVER READ IN MY LIFE. SHE IS TERRIFIC I WOULD LOVE IT IF EVERYBODY WOULD BUY THIS BOOK AND MAKE HER FAMOUS BECAUSE SHE IS A WONDERFUL DIRECTOR.
00:49:34	>>	BECAUSE I'M A PROFESSIONAL CRITIC AND IF PEOPLE DON'T LIKE MY RECOMMENDATIONS THEY WILL LET ME KNOW? [LAUGHTER] ESPECIALLY MY SISTER WHO REALLY DOESN'T HOLD BACK AT ALL EYES MAKE A POINT BEFORE RECOMMEND THE BOOK TO SOMEBODY I QUIZ THEM EXTENSIVELY ABOUT WHAT THEY LIKE. ONE OF THE THINGS I LEARNED WHILE A READING JANE'S FABULOUS BOOK, IS HOW COULD YOU NOT LIKE THAT? HE MAKES AN EXCELLENT POINT THAT DOESN'T BOTHER ME AS MUCH AS LIZ THAT ATTRACTS ME SO I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN. IT FEEL THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHERE SOMEBODY SITTING THERE SAYING IT IS SO BEAUTIFULLY WRITTEN, AND I SAY YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING. [LAUGHTER] SO I USUALLY QUIZ PEOPLE EXTENSIVELY BEFORE I MAKE A BOOK RECOMMENDATION BECAUSE I JUST DON'T THINK THERE ARE VERY MANY BOOKS YOU CAN UNIVERSALLY RECOMMEND. SOME PEOPLE I SAY 2656 OR THE NEW ARTHUR PHILLIPS BOOK BUT I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WILL HATE THAT BOOK. I THINK THE MOST RELIABLE RECOMMENDATION THAT I COULD MAKE WOULD BE IN THE WOODS I BEGAN A BUDDY WHO WOULD PICK UP THE BOOK WOULD ENJOY IT ON SOME LEVEL OR ANOTHER BUT THAT IS REALLY BECAUSE I FEEL THAT HAS THE MOST UNIVERSAL APPEAL. OTHERWISE I NEED TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND YOUR LIFE IN ORDER TO RECOMMEND A BOOK.
00:51:24	>>	THIS GOES WITH WHAT I AM GOING TO ASK I WILL BLOW MY COVER, I AM A LIBRARY AND [APPLAUSE] AND IN A GIRLS' PRIVATE HIGH SCHOOL AND WHAT LIZZIE SAID ABOUT THE VERY MATURE THEMES AND I AM REALLY BLOWING MY COVER I REALLY DON'T THINK THE ADMINISTRATION REALLY KNOWS ABOUT SOME OF THESE BOOKS. [LAUGHTER] AND I AM TOTALLY SUPPORTIVE OF THE GIRLS PICKING UP THESE BOOKS AND READING THESE BOOKS AND HAVING THESE BOOKS ME AVAILABLE TO THEM IN THE FORMAT OF JUST NOT IN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY. MY QUESTION, I AM GLAD YOU WRITE OF WHAT YOU ARE FAMILIAR WITH OF SWEET VALLEY HIGH IS THERE SUCH UP PAYING AS A BAD BOOK TO MAKE AVAILABLE TO A KID NO MATTER WHAT? THE SERIES THE GOSSIP GROW SERIOUS, ALL OF THESE BOOKS I HAVE ANOTHER IS A BIG DISCUSSION ABOUT IS THERE SUCH A THING AS A NOT BE ME YOURSELF AND IS IT OKAY TO HAVE THOSE?
00:52:53	>>	ISN'T "TWILIGHT" ONE OF THOSE? I GOT SO MANY E-MAILS FROM LIBRARIANS ABOUT HOW RELUCTANT THEY WERE TO CULTIVATE.
00:53:03	>>	MY FEELING I GUESS THE WAY I GREW UP IS THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS BAD READERS.
00:53:10	>>	I THINK THAT IS TRUE ON ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ME AT LEAST WHAT I LOVED ABOUT MY READING YOUTH IS NO ONE CARED WHAT I WAS DOING SO I HAD PRIVACY. I THINK PRIVACY IN ONE'S READING TAURUSES IS MUCH MORE FUNDAMENTAL THAN THE READING ITSELF. I WOULD SAY ABSOLUTELY NOT I READ EVERYTHING WHEN I WAS A GIRL AND THERE REALLY THINK RICHARD WAS MORE WORSE FOR ME BEEN READING NICHOLAS AND ALEXANDRA.
00:53:45	>>	OR THE THIRD REICH WHICH IS MY 11 YEAR OLD FAVORITE BOOKS.
00:53:50	>>	WHEN MY THIRD YEAR-OLD WAS NINE AM A 26 YEAR-OLD WAS FIVE, MY THIRD YEAR-OLD ADD A BOOK AND ONE OF THE TWINS FELL OFF THE BACK OF A MOTORCYCLE AND ONE WAS A DAY, UP. WHEN THE GIRLS WENT TO BED I READ THIS BOOK AND I WAS A LITTLE SHOCKED THE NINE YEAR-OLD WOULD BE READING ABOUT THIS SO SHE GOT UP AND I SAID COULD YOU POSSIBLY, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO READ THIS BOOK ABOUT THIS? SHE SAID MOM, IT IS NOT TRAUMA IT IS A DRAMA. [LAUGHTER] I SAID FINE PER CAR READ WHAT YOU WIND. THAT IS GREAT.
00:54:39	>>	I THINK WE WILL PROBABLY END ON THAT NOTE. THIS IS A GREAT WEEKEND TO CELEBRATE READING AND WRITING AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THANK YOU FOR THE "L.A. TIMES" TO SPONSOR THIS PANEL. REMEMBER TO SUPPORT YOUR INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORE SO THEY WILL SURVIVE. THANK YOU [APPLAUSE] [INAUDIBLE CONVERSATIONS] [INAUDIBLE CONVERSATIONS] [INAUDIBLE CONVERSATIONS] [INAUDIBLE CONVERSATIONS]
00:56:32	>>	YOU'RE WATCHING BOOKTV COVERAGE OF THE 2009 FESTIVAL OF BOOKS WE JUST THOUGHT LAURA MILLER COMMENT SARA NELSON, A PULITZER PRIZE WINNER JANE SMILEY AND BOOK CRITIC LIZZIE SKURNICK STARTING SHORTLY A NEW PANEL

Player will appear here, loading...

Loading...