Comments on: I’m totally judging you based on your favorite book

By: tanya debuff

tanya debuff — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 17:50:37 +0000

yes! if you liked Karr you will love this book, Asa! It’s so messed up, but at the same time you can tell it’s written from a long distance, and that it’s written with love. This lady, Jeannette Walls, also came out recently with a sort of fictional memoir of her grandmother or something.

By: Asa Maria

Asa Maria — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 06:29:49 +0000

What about Glass Castle? Someone just recommended it to me. Have you read it?

By: JaimeRWood

JaimeRWood — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 03:34:29 +0000

Fantastic answer, Brian. Winesburg, Ohio has been one of my favorite books for years.

By: tanya debuff

tanya debuff — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:31:07 +0000

I just finished Winesburg! Anderson’s got mad skillz in characterization. Great book!

By: Brian O'Grady

Brian O'Grady — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 23:09:48 +0000

I actually don’t get this question very often. If I’m having a conversation with someone about books or writing we’re not speaking in that kind of broad get-to-know-you language. This is a question I would expect from someone I don’t really know, like a corporate trainer, who doesn’t really give a shit about the answer anyway.

Either way, no matter who’s asking, it’s Winesburg, Ohio. Same Favorite Book since 1995.

By: Kathryn

Kathryn — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:29:51 +0000

That’s another thing: It’s hard to come up with an answer on the spot! I’m good at stalling for an answer, but then I feel sort of silly, like the other person thinks I’ve got no clue.

By: tanya debuff

tanya debuff — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 22:13:35 +0000

for sure! Liar’s Club is another fave. I know some people have said that SS sounds whiny, but I guess either I felt whiny too so I didn’t mind it, or I just didn’t pick up on it. I’m gonna read it this summer again, so it’ll be interesting to see what I think of it.

By: Shira Richman

Shira Richman — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:25:38 +0000

I usually say, “I’m not good under pressure. What’s yours?”

By: Anna

Anna — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:15:06 +0000

I definitely tweak my answers depending on who is asking. For instance, if a strange guy on the bus asks me my favorite book, I usually say something like, War and Peace (which I really do love) because that will (I hope)get him to leave me alone. As in your case, I love so many different books and categories of books that I tend to just pick a book I think will be somewhat familiar to the person asking the question. It’s a much easier question to answer than, “what type of poetry do you write?” I don’t write within a specific “type,” and most non-writers don’t understand that, so I try to avoid answering that question if at all possible.

By: Asa Maria

Asa Maria — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:07:36 +0000

Tanya, I was not a fan of the Susanna Sonnenberg book eventhough I have HUGE issues with my mother. Did you read The Liar’s Club? That totally worked for me because Mary Karr’s mom was crazier than mine and I found that comforting. I also liked her style of writing more than Sonnenberg who I though came across as whiny. We’re going to have to compare mommy-issie memoirs notes sometime.