I’m getting a kick out of a friend’s new nickname for me: the Book Whisperer. Not only do I love reading, but maybe even moreso, I love matching people with their perfect book. Since I haven’t been working at the bookshop lately, I’m getting my fix as a personal shopper for books.
Cesar Milan & his clan (credit: NYT)
Last Tuesday morning, when I sat down to check email, one really caught my attention. The subject line was “Help!” It was my friend Julie asking if it was OK to borrow the next in the Twilight series or if that was too decadent. I had told her it was addictive, and while somewhat trashy, impossible to put down. (Confession: I read them all back to back this winter, unable to read anything else in my pile until I devoured those!) So of course I supported her habit and dropped off the final three in the series.
Whether I’m a book whisperer, or as Julie now likes to call me, a dealer providing the emergency stash (“if yo’ure not home, I’ll leave them on your back steps in a plastic bag…” ), my goal remains the same: finding readers their perfect book.
Anyone need recommendations?
Drop me a comment with some of your favorites, and I’ll recommend others to add to your list!
At the risk of sounding like a J.Crew or Pottery Barn catalogue, here are a few recent lists…
The Mona
- The Spirit Catches You & You Fall Down, Anne Fadiman
- Motherless Brooklyn, Jonathan Lethem
- Little Bee, Chris Cleave
- Story of a Marriage, Andrew Sean Greer
- Into the Beautiful North, Luis Urrea
The Julie
- Loving Frank, Nancy Horan
- Maynard & Jennica, Rudolph Delson
- Prep, Curtis Sittenfeld
- Twilight series, Stephenie Meyer
The Richard*
- The River of Doubt, Candace Millard
- Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Stieg Larsson
- Manhunt, James Swanson
- Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson
*Some excellent reads that he’s recommended for me: Personal History, Katharine Graham; The Housekeeper & The Professor, Yoko Ogawa
August 23, 2009 at 1:54 pm
I know a magician never tells but a whisperer? What angles are you playing for Mona, Julie, and Richard?
August 23, 2009 at 2:08 pm
The Mona: must be quality writing, international flair is good, socially conscious and thought provoking, witty (or at least some humor)
The Julie: beach reading that’s well written yet remains on the “light” side, easy to get into the story, doesn’t require intense thought after a long work day
The Richard: a flair for fast-moving adventure, while learning something in the process; as far from the Oprah Book Club as possible ( :
What would The Terry look like?
August 28, 2009 at 7:23 am
After book club last night, I can’t help but add this quote from The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society to this post:
“I wonder how the book got to Guernsey? Perhaps there is some secret sort of homing instinct in books that brings them to their perfect readers.”
What a beautiful idea…