Writers in Paradise, My Book List

Although this random, un-alphabetized, somewhat messy list I've created offends my Librarian Sensibilities, I'm telling myself that it's a blog, not a bibliography. So here's my list, mostly taken from recommendations in Ann Hood's non-fiction workshop, with a few additions from Laura Lippman's Roundtable and listening to the other speakers. It is not all-inclusive. It does not include books written by our instructors/ speakers (Stewart O'Nan, Ann Hood, Laura Lippman, Michael Koryta, Ann Rittenberg, Jill Bialosky, Marc Fitten, etc). Nor does it include books on our recommended reading lists for reading before the week began. Just random and messy, you were warned.

Writers in Paradise Recommended books, January 2009

Ann Hood’s Nonfiction workshop:

Fly Truffler

Mercy Papers: a Memoir of Three Weeks (by Robin Romm)
A good example of structure.

Natural History of the Senses (by Diane Ackerman)
Dirt
Secret Currency of Love
Boys in My Youth (especially “Fourth State of Matter” by Joann Beard)

Liar (example of unreliable narrator in memoir)
Drinking: A Love Story (by Carolyn Knapp)


Other instructors’ references:
Arrogance (by JoAnna Scott)

Under the Red Flag (Ha Jin) “writing is kind of a mess but the truth of the story comes through”

Lorrie Moore (for examples of surprising the reader)

First Comes Love (by Marion Winik)

A Three Dog Life (by Abigail Thomas)