Comments on: Keepers http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/ about the craft and business of fiction Tue, 22 May 2012 15:22:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Li http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18828 Li Thu, 23 Aug 2007 05:12:40 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18828 Hi, my keepers are my Jane Austen novels, Jane Eyre, of course all of my Juliet Marillier novels, The Mists of Avalon, His Dark Materials Trilogy, Harry Potter Series, Paulo Coelho's The Alchmist, The Pilgrim, The Red Tent by Anita Diamant,my Celtic collection of history, folk tales, fairy tales, Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy. This are all of my keepers I re-read all of them maybe once a year. Hi, my keepers are my Jane Austen novels, Jane Eyre, of course all of my Juliet Marillier novels, The Mists of Avalon, His Dark Materials Trilogy, Harry Potter Series, Paulo Coelho’s The Alchmist, The Pilgrim, The Red Tent by Anita Diamant,my Celtic collection of history, folk tales, fairy tales, Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy. This are all of my keepers I re-read all of them maybe once a year.

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]]> By: Danielle http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18232 Danielle Sat, 18 Aug 2007 03:56:04 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18232 Well, I must also admit to having all of Juliet's books on my keeper shelf, along with the much loved LOTR and Harry Potter books! Among my other keepers are Diana Gabaldon's Cross Stitch series, Jennifer Fallon's Hythryn Chronicles, Isobelle Carmody's Obernewtyn Chronicles and William Goldman's abridgement of The Princess Bride, while the complete works of Shakespeare has to rate a mention ... so many adventures packed into a few thousand odd pages! Well, I must also admit to having all of Juliet’s books on my keeper shelf, along with the much loved LOTR and Harry Potter books! Among my other keepers are Diana Gabaldon’s Cross Stitch series, Jennifer Fallon’s Hythryn Chronicles, Isobelle Carmody’s Obernewtyn Chronicles and William Goldman’s abridgement of The Princess Bride, while the complete works of Shakespeare has to rate a mention … so many adventures packed into a few thousand odd pages!

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]]> By: Eric http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18179 Eric Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:26:56 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18179 The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester Ubik by Philip K. Dick Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick Library of America's wonderfully bound collections of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. Anyone interested in popular culture who wants to know what influenced Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Sin City, and Kurosawa's Yojimbo (in America became the Clint Eastwood 'A Fistful of Dollars') should read Hammett's Red Harvest. Every book I buy on writing tends to stay on my shelf for reference. I'm gonna end up like Dustin Hoffman's character in Stranger Than Fiction. I could go on, but I'll stop. :) The Demolished Man by Alfred Bester
Stars My Destination by Alfred Bester
Ubik by Philip K. Dick
Solar Lottery by Philip K. Dick

Library of America’s wonderfully bound collections of Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett. Anyone interested in popular culture who wants to know what influenced Indiana Jones, Star Wars, Sin City, and Kurosawa’s Yojimbo (in America became the Clint Eastwood ‘A Fistful of Dollars’) should read Hammett’s Red Harvest.

Every book I buy on writing tends to stay on my shelf for reference. I’m gonna end up like Dustin Hoffman’s character in Stranger Than Fiction.

I could go on, but I’ll stop. :)

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]]> By: Satima Flavell http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18130 Satima Flavell Fri, 17 Aug 2007 01:57:07 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18130 A historical fantasy tragic with a bent towards sword'n'sorcery, I have for many years had a core collection containing Roger Zelazny's Amber series; Mary Stewart's Merlin trilogy; T.H. White's Once and Future King and, of course, LOTR. Also among the keepers are Ursula Leguin's Left Hand of Darkness as well as her Earthsea books together with almost all the works of John Wyndham and Rosemary Sutcliffe. Of recent years I've made a point of trying to keep up with Australian fantasy so naturally I have the entire Marillier oeuvre on the top shelf. I also have all of Simon Haynes's, all of Glenda Larke's and all of Karen Miller's as well as representative works by other Aussie authors, and I think they will all be keepers as well. The only overseas author I buy consistently and will probably keep for ever is Guy Gavriel Kay, although Jacqueline Carey is nudging her way in, too. Let me not start on non-fiction. I have enough to furnish a small library. Whenever I Get Tough and offload a few I always regret it within the week. So many books, so little money, so little time...:-( A historical fantasy tragic with a bent towards sword’n'sorcery, I have for many years had a core collection containing Roger Zelazny’s Amber series; Mary Stewart’s Merlin trilogy; T.H. White’s Once and Future King and, of course, LOTR. Also among the keepers are Ursula Leguin’s Left Hand of Darkness as well as her Earthsea books together with almost all the works of John Wyndham and Rosemary Sutcliffe.

Of recent years I’ve made a point of trying to keep up with Australian fantasy so naturally I have the entire Marillier oeuvre on the top shelf. I also have all of Simon Haynes’s, all of Glenda Larke’s and all of Karen Miller’s as well as representative works by other Aussie authors, and I think they will all be keepers as well. The only overseas author I buy consistently and will probably keep for ever is Guy Gavriel Kay, although Jacqueline Carey is nudging her way in, too. Let me not start on non-fiction. I have enough to furnish a small library. Whenever I Get Tough and offload a few I always regret it within the week.

So many books, so little money, so little time…:-(

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]]> By: Juliet http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18124 Juliet Fri, 17 Aug 2007 00:39:09 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18124 It's great to know my books are on some people's keepers shelves! One of the highlights of book-signings, for me, is the appearance of readers with shopping bags full of 'loved to death' copies of my novels - it seems more meaningful to sign those than the glossy new copies. Amy, it is sad that many of my books are now only available in the mass market editions. I wish I could do something about it. Now, if someone made a Sevenwaters movie, maybe I'd get a reprint in trade paperback ... One can always dream. Re children's books, and picture books in particular, I plan a follow-up post about those, as I'm rediscovering a lot of great ones now I have grandchildren to read to. It’s great to know my books are on some people’s keepers shelves! One of the highlights of book-signings, for me, is the appearance of readers with shopping bags full of ‘loved to death’ copies of my novels – it seems more meaningful to sign those than the glossy new copies.

Amy, it is sad that many of my books are now only available in the mass market editions. I wish I could do something about it. Now, if someone made a Sevenwaters movie, maybe I’d get a reprint in trade paperback … One can always dream.

Re children’s books, and picture books in particular, I plan a follow-up post about those, as I’m rediscovering a lot of great ones now I have grandchildren to read to.

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]]> By: MaryK http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18119 MaryK Thu, 16 Aug 2007 22:45:35 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18119 I would classify myself as a bibliophile, but I'm ruthless when it comes to what fiction I keep. If it doesn't touch me on a deep level it gets donated to the library. I have number of books on my shelf that have never been read. I bought them after I had read a copy through my book club or a friend had leant them to me, then after finishing the book, I just had to own it. These books are: * Flesh and Blood, Michael Cunningham * too close to the falls, Catherine Gildiner * The Reader, Bernhard Schlink * The Turning, Tim Winton * Tirra Lirra by the River, Jessica Anderson * Misery, Stephen King (my most recent addition, I only just read it) MaryK I would classify myself as a bibliophile, but I’m ruthless when it comes to what fiction I keep. If it doesn’t touch me on a deep level it gets donated to the library.

I have number of books on my shelf that have never been read. I bought them after I had read a copy through my book club or a friend had leant them to me, then after finishing the book, I just had to own it.

These books are:

* Flesh and Blood, Michael Cunningham
* too close to the falls, Catherine Gildiner
* The Reader, Bernhard Schlink
* The Turning, Tim Winton
* Tirra Lirra by the River, Jessica Anderson
* Misery, Stephen King (my most recent addition, I only just read it)

MaryK

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]]> By: Peggy http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18116 Peggy Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:20:30 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18116 I, too, am one of those people who has stacks of books all around because I just can't bear to give away a book I like. However, one book that I will never, ever get rid of not matter what happens is "Galax-Arena" by Gillian Rubinstein. I read this book in middle school, and it was one of the few I actually remembered years afterward. It took my sister and I almost 6 months to find a copy at a library sale, because it is (unfortunately) not published in the U.S. I, too, am one of those people who has stacks of books all around because I just can’t bear to give away a book I like. However, one book that I will never, ever get rid of not matter what happens is “Galax-Arena” by Gillian Rubinstein. I read this book in middle school, and it was one of the few I actually remembered years afterward. It took my sister and I almost 6 months to find a copy at a library sale, because it is (unfortunately) not published in the U.S.

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]]> By: theamcginnis http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18100 theamcginnis Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:14:25 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18100 i used to have a very dog eared first edition of GOne With The Wind. I just loved that story. And Pride and Prejudice, which I reread on a regular basis. And I have boxes and boxes of books i hate to part with. Non classic, but very rereadable for me is Amanda Quick's medieval, Desire. Very charmingly done. And I have just about all of my children's beloved books still, and one of my all time favorites is just a little paperback Sesame Street fractured fairy tale book, featuring The King of Cauliflower. They are so delightful to read aloud. For all ages. i used to have a very dog eared first edition of GOne With The Wind. I just loved that story. And Pride and Prejudice, which I reread on a regular basis. And I have boxes and boxes of books i hate to part with. Non classic, but very rereadable for me is Amanda Quick’s medieval, Desire. Very charmingly done. And I have just about all of my children’s beloved books still, and one of my all time favorites is just a little paperback Sesame Street fractured fairy tale book, featuring The King of Cauliflower. They are so delightful to read aloud. For all ages.

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]]> By: Jennifer http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18098 Jennifer Thu, 16 Aug 2007 18:00:33 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18098 My keeper books are ones that I can reach for again and again and never get tired of them. That would be all of Carol Berg's books, Jim Butcher's Codex Alera, and recently, Patrick Rothfuss' _Name of the Wind_. They're the books that make me sigh when I close them and vow to become as good a writer as the author. My keeper books are ones that I can reach for again and again and never get tired of them. That would be all of Carol Berg’s books, Jim Butcher’s Codex Alera, and recently, Patrick Rothfuss’ _Name of the Wind_. They’re the books that make me sigh when I close them and vow to become as good a writer as the author.

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]]> By: Veronica Wolff http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18097 Veronica Wolff Thu, 16 Aug 2007 17:50:23 +0000 http://writerunboxed.com/2007/08/16/keepers/#comment-18097 Juliet, I have to confess, your books are all on my keeper shelf. What makes a book a must-keep for me are those that I have a strong emotional attachment to. Intense relationships and high stakes draw me in and keep me thinking about a particular book long after I've put it down. Something could be a rollicking good page-turner that I love, but I'll be happy to lend it out and not see it again. But Robin Hobb, Diana Gabaldon, George R.R. Martin, Jane Austen...you can't pry them out of my hands. Juliet, I have to confess, your books are all on my keeper shelf. What makes a book a must-keep for me are those that I have a strong emotional attachment to. Intense relationships and high stakes draw me in and keep me thinking about a particular book long after I’ve put it down. Something could be a rollicking good page-turner that I love, but I’ll be happy to lend it out and not see it again. But Robin Hobb, Diana Gabaldon, George R.R. Martin, Jane Austen…you can’t pry them out of my hands.

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