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1-On-One | |||||
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Is it possible to be a good writer without being a good reader? Anything is possible, and I think a love of reading can make you a good one. In writing, if you have a great editor they catch lots of simple mistakes as does the copy editor. It helps to have other eyes even if you are a careful reader, not just for typos but for content. According to a report of the Independent Book Publishing Association, over five million American adults belong to reading groups. What, do you believe, is the basis for this country's love for literature and books? I think Oprah added a lot of cachet to the cause, and then there were many, many grass roots efforts from libraries and small independent booksellers. Have you ever belonged to a reading group? I do now and have for over ten years. What advice do you have for reading group members when it comes to selecting books for discussion? Don’t judge the book by its cover or weight. But seriously, try to get a recommendation from someone whose reading taste you respect, such as your librarian or local bookseller. What books are you reading now or do you plan to read? I just finished Chesil Beach and am finishing The Position by Meg Wolitzer. There are no less than twenty books in my stacks just waiting for me to take a break. If you were stuck on a deserted island and could only bring one book with you to read, what would it be and why? The Bible. While I’m waiting for death the Bible might come in handy. Or The Whole Earth Catalog. It wouldn’t be The Back Roads of Tuscany. If you could have dinner with three writers (dead or alive) who would they be and why? Jane Austen, Dave Barry and Shakespeare. Why? I’d like to see what Jane has to say about modern conventions, what Shakespeare thinks about publishing, and I’d like to hear Dave Barry explain it. I’d make a great roast beef and pull my best corks! Does anyone have Dave Barry’s number? Have you ever read anything you're too embarrassed to admit (except in this interview)? Pretty much, no. Favorite book when you were a child? The Baltimore Catechism. Like I had a choice. If you have children, is this the same book you read to them? If not, what is your favorite book for your children? JMJ, no. My children are and have always been avid readers, and they have so many books I wouldn’t know where to start. Certainly they loved all the classics of their day such as Goodnight Moon and Eloise at the Plaza and Where the Dark Things Are to The Napping House and many more. Favorite heroine in literature and why? Juliet, because she lived and died for her love. Favorite hero in literature and why? Romeo – same reason. Favorite first line from a book? "Once upon a time" . . . let me think about that. Favorite last line from a book? “They lived happily ever after” – I love the idea of a happy ever after. Book that changed your life? The Prince of Tides Words to live by? Always be generous and kind.
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