Reviews
By the Book: Writers on Literature and the Literary Life from the New York Times Book Review by
cdlindwall's review against another edition
5.0
As part of my 100 book challenge for this year, I thought it'd be appropriate to start with this wonderful collection of interviews with literary figures about their own reading habits. Consequently, my to-read shelf has expanded tenfold.
While the questions were somewhat repetitive, I didn't mind. I'll be returning to this book all year. I got to know the profiled authors a bit better (or at all, many I wasn't familiar with), and received a mini-literary education by reading about their favorites. I've always been fascinated by the correlation between reading and writing habits— do we like the styles we write in ourselves? do we appreciate the types of books we know we could never write? what stories did we read as kids that pushed us to love the written word?
It's just all so inspiring to me, that there's an unending list of wonderful books and authors always available to discover. This book also reminded me of how ignorant I am to a huge majority of well-respected and important writers. On one hand, it's sad how little I've truly read and on the other hand it's so exciting that I have so many voices and perspectives yet to experience.
I just want to live surrounded by piles of books in my warm apartment with coffee and my dog, ok?
While the questions were somewhat repetitive, I didn't mind. I'll be returning to this book all year. I got to know the profiled authors a bit better (or at all, many I wasn't familiar with), and received a mini-literary education by reading about their favorites. I've always been fascinated by the correlation between reading and writing habits— do we like the styles we write in ourselves? do we appreciate the types of books we know we could never write? what stories did we read as kids that pushed us to love the written word?
It's just all so inspiring to me, that there's an unending list of wonderful books and authors always available to discover. This book also reminded me of how ignorant I am to a huge majority of well-respected and important writers. On one hand, it's sad how little I've truly read and on the other hand it's so exciting that I have so many voices and perspectives yet to experience.
I just want to live surrounded by piles of books in my warm apartment with coffee and my dog, ok?
bargainsleuth's review against another edition
4.0
First off, I did not read all the obits, but did get through most of them. It is interesting to see how obituaries were written as far back as 1851. The older obituaries were all over the place, with no rhyme or reason as to how they recounted a person's life (thematically or chronologically). I was surprised to see just how little mention was made of the family members left behind, in some cases not even mentioned at all. There were some omissions that I felt should have belonged, but that's entirely subjective. The USB provided to access the digital obituaries did not work with my computer. Windows 10 said it was not a trustworthy source.
mickeymole's review against another edition
2.0
I enjoyed reading some of these interviews, but they could have been so much better. They could have gone deeper. Some of the questions were a ridiculous waste of space.
"If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be?"
"If somebody walked in on you writing one of your books, what would she see? What does your work space look like?"
I really don't care.
And, I want to read about Literature and the writing process, not someone's political ax they feel they have to grind. There were so many cheap shots thrown at Republicans in this book, I felt like I was reading the New York Times. Oh, I guess I was at that.
"If you could require the president to read one book, what would it be?"
"If somebody walked in on you writing one of your books, what would she see? What does your work space look like?"
I really don't care.
And, I want to read about Literature and the writing process, not someone's political ax they feel they have to grind. There were so many cheap shots thrown at Republicans in this book, I felt like I was reading the New York Times. Oh, I guess I was at that.
cook_memorial_public_library's review against another edition
4.0
A 2013 staff nonfiction favorite recommended by staffer Melissa. Read her review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/661901521
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1460459__SNew%20York%20Times%20Book%20of%20Mathematics%3A%20More%20Than%20100%20Years%20of%20Writing%20by%20the%20Numbers__Orightresult__X4;jsessionid=C9F7FB6BFA8E8E40FE349BC650EB255D?lang=eng&suite=pearl
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1460459__SNew%20York%20Times%20Book%20of%20Mathematics%3A%20More%20Than%20100%20Years%20of%20Writing%20by%20the%20Numbers__Orightresult__X4;jsessionid=C9F7FB6BFA8E8E40FE349BC650EB255D?lang=eng&suite=pearl
daydreamangel18's review against another edition
3.0
I am sad that some of these authors never seem to have the time nor patience to actually read.
lizmart88's review against another edition
3.0
Compilation of an old new york times column interviewing authors, and some celebrities, about what hooks they read and love.
It was fun to read some of my favorite authors share their favorite books, writers, reading nooks, and more!
It was fun to read some of my favorite authors share their favorite books, writers, reading nooks, and more!
msmandrake's review against another edition
4.0
This is actually a collection of columns from the New York Times. I love to see what books people love or hate and why. (especially those who write themselves) And where and how they read them. I quite enjoyed this.
vanessakm's review against another edition
4.0
Not the easiest book to read straight through, but if I didn't it likely would sit on the shelf and never get read (But it would look pretty at least. I love the caricatures of the interview subjects.)
This collects the Times' "By the Book" columns from 2012 to early 2014. The Times' archives don't go back any farther, so I'm guessing this is when they began. It is still an ongoing feature of the NYTBR as of this writing. The interview subjects are all types of authors including the occasional actor or musician who have also written things (Sting, Bryan Cranston.) Questions vary a bit from subject to subject, but some common ones are:
• What is on your nightstand right now?
• What book had the greatest impact on you?
• What was your favorite book or book character as a child?
• What’s a book you consider overrated, disappointing, etc.?
• If you could meet any writer living or dead, who would it be?
And so on. The results are illuminating and often charming. Some of my favorites, who were not necessarily people I read, were Gary Shteyngart, James Patterson (I don't read his books, but he always seems like such a cool guy), Colin Powell, Bryan Cranston, David Mitchell, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emma Thompson, Chang Rae-Lee, Junot Diaz, P.J. O'Rourke, Carl Hiaasen and David Sedaris. People I thought would be contentious, like Richard Ford, were thoughtful and pleasant. Jhumpa Lahiri surprised me by coming across as dour and hectoring.
Most writers didn't want to name a book they didn't like (David Mitchell put it best when he says," I'd rather not put the boot in publicly--it spoils my day when it happens to me.") Those who did mostly favored deceased authors (I kind of love that [b:Ulysses|338798|Ulysses|James Joyce|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428891345s/338798.jpg|2368224] comes up a lot.) John Irving spends too much time hawking his own wares (John, you've made it buddy. You don't have to work your titles into every response.) Khaled Hosseini is a Big Lebowski fan.
It's fun to get a glimpse at the reading tastes of others We all know this because we're all on Goodreads. Getting a glimpse of what the pros like is even more fascinating. I enjoyed this and it would be great gift material.
This collects the Times' "By the Book" columns from 2012 to early 2014. The Times' archives don't go back any farther, so I'm guessing this is when they began. It is still an ongoing feature of the NYTBR as of this writing. The interview subjects are all types of authors including the occasional actor or musician who have also written things (Sting, Bryan Cranston.) Questions vary a bit from subject to subject, but some common ones are:
• What is on your nightstand right now?
• What book had the greatest impact on you?
• What was your favorite book or book character as a child?
• What’s a book you consider overrated, disappointing, etc.?
• If you could meet any writer living or dead, who would it be?
And so on. The results are illuminating and often charming. Some of my favorites, who were not necessarily people I read, were Gary Shteyngart, James Patterson (I don't read his books, but he always seems like such a cool guy), Colin Powell, Bryan Cranston, David Mitchell, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emma Thompson, Chang Rae-Lee, Junot Diaz, P.J. O'Rourke, Carl Hiaasen and David Sedaris. People I thought would be contentious, like Richard Ford, were thoughtful and pleasant. Jhumpa Lahiri surprised me by coming across as dour and hectoring.
Most writers didn't want to name a book they didn't like (David Mitchell put it best when he says," I'd rather not put the boot in publicly--it spoils my day when it happens to me.") Those who did mostly favored deceased authors (I kind of love that [b:Ulysses|338798|Ulysses|James Joyce|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1428891345s/338798.jpg|2368224] comes up a lot.) John Irving spends too much time hawking his own wares (John, you've made it buddy. You don't have to work your titles into every response.) Khaled Hosseini is a Big Lebowski fan.
It's fun to get a glimpse at the reading tastes of others We all know this because we're all on Goodreads. Getting a glimpse of what the pros like is even more fascinating. I enjoyed this and it would be great gift material.
whitneyborup's review against another edition
4.0
I zoomed through this. I wasn't particularly interested in some of the questions they asked almost everyone (stuff about children's books, about self help books - that was a weird focus - or whether or not they like books that make them laugh or cry) but the concept is something I am bound to love. I wish someone would do this with general readers - as opposed to famous readers - and, in fact, I think I will make my literature class interview each other next year.