Staff Picks
Sheila
Sheila Brownlow supports her extensive reading habit with a day job as a Professor of Psychology at Catawba College. While she isn’t in Literary Bookpost nearly as often as she would like (and not often enough to master the intricacies of the inventory system), she still manages to devote any and every spare moment to reading. She will be happy to share book observations with you, particularly if you are interested in off-beat and esoteric non-fiction (particularly science, social commentary, memoir, junk economics, sustainability, and sociology) as well as current and best-selling fiction. Because she’s been reading the latter for so long, she can help you find new authors within the genre; due to her devotion to the former, she can help you find a gift for the quirkiest person you know.
Deal
Favorite Book - Too Loud a Solitude by Bohumil Hrabal. This Czech book, reminiscent of Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451, is the best written example I have ever found of my love of the written word.
My favorite writer for an entire body of work is Henry Miller, best known, of course, for his books Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn. Miller wrote in all categories, from fiction to travel, fable to criticism, and I often found myself keeping company with the OED as he took me on a tour of the remarkable English language. I agree with many others that, of all American writers, Miller deserved the Nobel Prize in Literature.
I now read across a wide variety of genres, but I'm particularly drawn to works of international fiction, be they written in English, translations, or from foreign ex-pats now within our borders. My reading range covers all continents, though I often find myself reading European and Australian authors. This is not to say I do not read the Americans, though I usually avoid "Bestsellers" like the plague.
I will also bounce among many non-fiction categories, with concentrations in the sociological, economic, and micro-histories. Sadly, I do not spend enough time reading poetry these days.
Daphne
Though I refuse to get rid of any books, good or bad, on the off chance that I decide to re-read one of them, there is one I always go back to. I first read John Irving’s A Prayer for Owen Meany in high school to understand why my family was talking in high-pitched voices around the dinner table. Now, I can’t go more than two years without picking it up again, revisiting the characters and reassuring myself that they’re still just as lost as I am.
I have always enjoyed historical fiction and have dabbled in sociology, older politics/current events, and bad anthropology (think Chariots of the Gods), but, as my responsibilities at Literary Bookpost have changed, my interest have grown. The Juvenile department introduced me to the wonderful worlds of science fiction/fantasy, which led me to the conspiracy theories of alternative history (just zombies, nothing weird). But, it’s a new, quickly growing section in the store that is unexpectedly stealing my heart, the graphic novel.
Gary
Favorite book - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas. I first read this book in junior high school and have subsequently re-read it at least three or four times–abridged and unabridged. I recently discovered a new translation (from Penguin I think) that surpasses all others. The themes of justice and vengeance, plus the sweeping drama of the time, are what attract me the most. Closely following is anything written by Dickens!
Favorite genres - historic fiction, naval fiction, mysteries and detectives, spies and thrillers, biography, autobiography, U.S. history, world history, military history, general history, Civil War, religion, and politics/current events.
Bill
I’m a book reading fool.
Some kids used to get in trouble for talking in school. I got in trouble for reading (true!). I read 42 books during my deployment in the Persian Gulf War. When my first love dumped me I went home and read a book. I snuck a book in while my wife was in labor with our first child (I did put it down for the birth). And while I can be an engaging and witty lunch companion, I’d rather be alone reading my book!
If you want to discover something about people, check out their library. In my mind the true measure of a man or woman is what they left on their shelves. Now that I’ve established my street cred as a book reader, what do I have to offer you?
My choices are all over the place but I do have a few basic requirements to recommend a book. I demand a fresh idea. Surprise me with an original story. The words have to flow. I can’t stand to have to go back to reread a section. The books can’t be overly biased toward either side of an idea. Clancy and Crichton really started to bug me when they got preachy and quit telling good stories. I tend toward male writers. I’m by no means chauvinistic but when a story is being played through my head I have a male voice bias because as you can tell I’m a male. Many women writers have been favorites but I haven’t been the same about women writers since a college English professor spent the whole semester covering only Bobbie Ann Mason and Jane Smiley stories.
Please find below a few of my favorites from my bookshelf.
