I’m here mostly as a reader, not a writer, so it’s a perfect question for me. I keep a note on my phone and write down every book I see/hear/read about that I want to read, and look at that if nothing from my “pile” by the bed is grabbing me. I read most of the classics when I was younger, I’m very interested in the ideas of “canon” and …
I’m here mostly as a reader, not a writer, so it’s a perfect question for me. I keep a note on my phone and write down every book I see/hear/read about that I want to read, and look at that if nothing from my “pile” by the bed is grabbing me. I read most of the classics when I was younger, I’m very interested in the ideas of “canon” and what is considered such and why. I’m very interested in translations, and getting to know other cultures through their literature. I sometimes am on a geography swing where I read a whole bunch of books from a certain area, like Saudi Arabia, or China, books about these cultures and places (non fiction) and books by authors from those places in translation. Funnily (for this venue) have an an aversion to short stories, and almost never choose them, though I have been more I soured by this group. After ‘big reads’ (literary, effort full, or long) I sometimes read a few “amuse bouche” books like mysteries or fantasy or YA. I too read almost exclusively before bed (usually for an hour or 90 minutes) except when on vacation, where I might read all day long (I finished the amazing Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr each in a day because I could not put them down). I love love love books and I’m so grateful to writers for the escape they give us. One of the great heartbreaks is when an author you love dies, and you know they will never create another word or world for you. Toni Morrison. Ursula LeGuin. AS Byatt. 💔
I'm also a canon reader and interested in the discussion of what makes it into the canon and what doesn't.. who decides. I spent a year and a half of joy working among the books in the Sterling Memorial Library at Yale - in the literature section, running into all the great classics "with introduction by Harold Bloom," right before he died. Knowing his work from grad school, I started reading his intros. One of them said "I spent last week rereading Faulkner" -- Ummm he read ALL of Faulkner in a week! Astounding! His influence on the canon is outmatched of course. I've read a great deal of the classics, and I return to them all the time - they really do hold up. I wish I had time to study them.
Just reading Ursula K. LeGuin's 'Steering the Craft" an AMAZING book about writing craft, second only to this one guy I read, something about swimming and ponds and rain. ;-)
'Into the Woods' by John Yorke is another great read to steer your reading raft towards if you haven't come across way back up stream Lee.
A recent read on the block that I've found a pithy, pointed, purposeful read (twice already) is Tim Lott's "Yes! No! But! Wait!"
And, in an amazingly short order given that it was sourced from the USA mere days ago, on first glimpse and glance the arrival of a very good second hardback copy of 'Creating Fiction' mentioned in Story Club very recently looks likely to be an addition to my bookshelves that will stay the course . . . instructive insights on this malarkey we call writing and are ever coming to know a little better, by and by, here in Story Club.
The idea of ‘canon’ was always very interesting to me as well. I’ve been a huge reader since I was very young (my mom still tells the embarrassing story of how, when I was being potty trained, I used to sit on my little potty until the pile of books in the unread pile had moved to the read pile - these were likely picture books but you get the point). When I was a kid I read whatever fell into my hands and enjoyed it immensely. But when I finished high school I realized I wanted more from my reading experience. I wanted to read what the characters in my favorite books were reading - Austen, Brontë, Woolf, even Shakespeare - I wanted an intellectually curated reading list. I also realized I wouldn’t be able to curate such a list without some help. So I took up a degree in English literature. My reason was: tell me what else to read. I wanted my reading to have the gatekeepers’ approval stamp, or in other words, to discover the canon. Now I have a Masters Degree with a thesis, all because I wanted a reading list 😂
I’m here mostly as a reader, not a writer, so it’s a perfect question for me. I keep a note on my phone and write down every book I see/hear/read about that I want to read, and look at that if nothing from my “pile” by the bed is grabbing me. I read most of the classics when I was younger, I’m very interested in the ideas of “canon” and what is considered such and why. I’m very interested in translations, and getting to know other cultures through their literature. I sometimes am on a geography swing where I read a whole bunch of books from a certain area, like Saudi Arabia, or China, books about these cultures and places (non fiction) and books by authors from those places in translation. Funnily (for this venue) have an an aversion to short stories, and almost never choose them, though I have been more I soured by this group. After ‘big reads’ (literary, effort full, or long) I sometimes read a few “amuse bouche” books like mysteries or fantasy or YA. I too read almost exclusively before bed (usually for an hour or 90 minutes) except when on vacation, where I might read all day long (I finished the amazing Pachinko by Min Jin Lee and Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr each in a day because I could not put them down). I love love love books and I’m so grateful to writers for the escape they give us. One of the great heartbreaks is when an author you love dies, and you know they will never create another word or world for you. Toni Morrison. Ursula LeGuin. AS Byatt. 💔
I'm also a canon reader and interested in the discussion of what makes it into the canon and what doesn't.. who decides. I spent a year and a half of joy working among the books in the Sterling Memorial Library at Yale - in the literature section, running into all the great classics "with introduction by Harold Bloom," right before he died. Knowing his work from grad school, I started reading his intros. One of them said "I spent last week rereading Faulkner" -- Ummm he read ALL of Faulkner in a week! Astounding! His influence on the canon is outmatched of course. I've read a great deal of the classics, and I return to them all the time - they really do hold up. I wish I had time to study them.
Just reading Ursula K. LeGuin's 'Steering the Craft" an AMAZING book about writing craft, second only to this one guy I read, something about swimming and ponds and rain. ;-)
Yes on "Steering the craft."
Hah! Love that book about ponds and swimming and rain. That guy is really insightful and a phenomenal teacher
Steering the Craft is one of the best books I've ever read about writing. Up there with Pond.
'Into the Woods' by John Yorke is another great read to steer your reading raft towards if you haven't come across way back up stream Lee.
A recent read on the block that I've found a pithy, pointed, purposeful read (twice already) is Tim Lott's "Yes! No! But! Wait!"
And, in an amazingly short order given that it was sourced from the USA mere days ago, on first glimpse and glance the arrival of a very good second hardback copy of 'Creating Fiction' mentioned in Story Club very recently looks likely to be an addition to my bookshelves that will stay the course . . . instructive insights on this malarkey we call writing and are ever coming to know a little better, by and by, here in Story Club.
*i have been reading more short stories because of this group!
First one to complete the list wins a free t-shirt! Right, George? :)
Me too
The idea of ‘canon’ was always very interesting to me as well. I’ve been a huge reader since I was very young (my mom still tells the embarrassing story of how, when I was being potty trained, I used to sit on my little potty until the pile of books in the unread pile had moved to the read pile - these were likely picture books but you get the point). When I was a kid I read whatever fell into my hands and enjoyed it immensely. But when I finished high school I realized I wanted more from my reading experience. I wanted to read what the characters in my favorite books were reading - Austen, Brontë, Woolf, even Shakespeare - I wanted an intellectually curated reading list. I also realized I wouldn’t be able to curate such a list without some help. So I took up a degree in English literature. My reason was: tell me what else to read. I wanted my reading to have the gatekeepers’ approval stamp, or in other words, to discover the canon. Now I have a Masters Degree with a thesis, all because I wanted a reading list 😂
Adi, Harvard Classics were made for you!
Loved this!