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Thanks to all my generous, beautiful girlfriends and students who showed up yesterday with books as holiday gifts for kids whose parents can’t afford to buy them books. Part of the fun of the party every year is wrapping the books (hundreds!) and then giving them to my friends (a teacher and a nurse in inner city schools) who will directly hand them out to the children just before the holidays. Another batch of books will be taken up to a HeadStart program in
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Annie Proulx: Brokeback Mountain
The spare, beautiful short story the movie came from.
Zadie Smith: On Beauty
She makes it look easy. It's a page turning novel of ideas and character.
Charles Baxter: Saul and Patsy
A deep, serious, funny novel by a writer who should be better known outside of literary circles.
Karen Armstrong: The Spiral Staircase : My Climb Out of Darkness (Armstrong, Karen)
Articulate and deeply insightful.
Anne Lamott: Bird by Bird : Some Instructions on Writing and Life
A book that truly encourages you to write, understands you, makes you laugh and cry as you read it.
Rollo May: The Courage to Create
To go deeper into the creative process and yourself.
Twyla Tharp: The Creative Habit: Learn it and Use It for Life
Full of inspiration and really practical advice and exercises.
Anne Lamott: Bird by Bird : Some Instructions on Writing and Life
This is my favorite of favorites. Encouragement and humor.
Brenda Ueland: If You Want to Write : A Book about Art, Independence and Spirit
Her 12 things you should know/do as a writer are timeless.
Carolyn See: Making a Literary Life
Such good advice, and so hilarious.
Deena Metzger: Writing for Your Life : Discovering the Story of Your Life's Journey
An exploration of creativity, story and spiritual practice through writing.
Dorothea Brande: Becoming a Writer
Her "artistic coma" is what we're all looking for.
Naomi Epel: Writers Dreaming: 26 Writers Talk About Their Dreams and the Creative Process
Writers reveal all their weird and wise working quirks.
Natalie Goldberg: Writing down the bones
Zen bits of advice, inspiration and wisdom.
Ralph Keyes: The Courage to Write : How Writers Transcend Fear
Like having a funny, smart, articulate friend holding your hand when you start.
Stephen King: On Writing
My copy flutters with Post-its. He writes of the true magic of writing.
Annie Dillard: The Writing Life
“A work in progress quickly becomes ferel,” she writes, and you nod yes, yes.
Donald Hall: Life Work
A poet at work, and living life with poet Jane Kenyon.
John Steinbeck: Journal of a Novel
His daily warm-up letters to his editor while writing East of Eden.
Naomi Epel: Writers Dreaming: 26 Writers Talk About Their Dreams and the Creative Process
Weird and wise ways of writers working as well as dreaming.
Stephen King: On Writing
How it all started, with smart advice for other writers.
Anne Fadiman: Ex Libris : Confessions of a Common Reader
Elegantly written essays about loving books.
Phillip Lopate: The Art of the Personal Essay : An Anthology from the Classical Era to the Present
Great introduction and selection of 400 years of personal essays.
Anne Lamott: Traveling Mercies : Some Thoughts on Faith
From her heart and soul, both funny and honest.
Natalia Ginzberg: The Little Virtues
Brilliant essays to learn from and live by.
Ellen Gilchrist: Falling Through Space: The Journals of Ellen Gilchrist (Banner Books)
Actually from her broadcast NPR pieces. A portrait of a writer in family and work roles.
Andre Dubus: Broken Vessels
Includes elegant pieces full of courage written after his horrific accident.
Joan Didion: The White Album
She's a master of the contemporary essay.
Billy Collins: Sailing Alone Around the Room
Read "Introduction to Poetry". Funny, accessible, and also serious poetry.
Jane Kenyon: Otherwise : New & Selected Poems
Read the title poem first. A poem to live by.
Mary Oliver: New and Selected Poems : Volume One
Read "The Summer Day" and "The Journey" - more poems to live by.
Raymond Carver: Ultramarine
He makes it look easy. It isn't.
Joan Didion: The Year of Magical Thinking
Pure Art. I read it in one sitting.
Ulla-Carin Lindquist: Rowing without oars
Lean and illuminating prose as the author faces her own death. To be published in the U.S. in April ’06.
Carole Radziwill: What Remains
A beautifully written memoir that transcends its celebrity frame of the Kennedys.
Donald Hall: The Best Day the Worst Day
The story of the death of his wife, Jane Kenyon.
Samantha Dunn: Faith in Carlos Gomez, A Memoir of Salsa, Sex and Salvation
The title alone should make you want to read it.
Carolyn See: Dreaming, Hard Luck and Good Times in America
Witty, as well as poignant - and written with abundant generosity.
Genevieve Jurgensen: The Disappearance
The most heart-breaking memoir I've read, written as letters to a friend.
James McBride: The Color of Water
The amazing story of his white Jewish mother who had twelve black kids, all of whom grew up to earn graduate degrees.
Judy Blunt: Breaking clean
Her story of fleeing rural Montana and her family to become a writer.
Katharine Butler Hathaway: The Little Locksmith
Like finding a friend who has a deep and inspiring inner life that she'll share with you.
Kathleen Norris: Dakota
A book not only about her life and spiritual growth, but also the meaning of community and place.
Kathryn Harrison: The Kiss
The true version of her novel, "Thicker Than Water".
Mark Doty: Firebirds
Growing up gay in suburbia - funny, deeply moving, eloquent.
Mark Doty: Heaven's Coast
Some of the best writing on grief I've ever read - both spiritual and literary.
Mary Karr: The Liar's Club
The book that started the current popularity of memoir.
Maureen Murdock: Unreliable Truth
Exploration of memory and why and how one should write a memoir.
Vivian Gornick: The Situation and the Story, the Art of Personal Narrative
A writer's writer takes a deep and illuminating look at the genre.
Hi Barbara! We had sudden major problems getting our emails out to our members this past summer. (I work at a non-profit association.) We signed up with Constant Contact for email distribution lists and I'm pleased to tell you that it works like a charm. It takes a bit longer to put your email together, but it looks great and they have an agreement with most of the internet provider to pre-recognize them. Just a thought.
Posted by: Joni | December 06, 2009 at 04:44 PM
Joni - Thanks for the suggestion!
Posted by: Barbara | December 06, 2009 at 06:56 PM
I'm so sorry to have missed one of my favorite parties of the year!
Posted by: elizabeth | December 06, 2009 at 09:40 PM
Thank you for hosting such a wonderful event! It was so much fun to hang out with the gals for a few hours for such a fantastic cause. VIVA BOOKS FOR ALL KIDS! xox Magdalena
Posted by: Magdalena Edwards | December 07, 2009 at 01:17 AM
Barbara! I'm glad it was great but I am so bummed I didn't get an invite! I enjoy that event every year so very much Drats.
Posted by: Ruth Rudnick | December 07, 2009 at 03:10 AM
elizabeth - I'm so sorry too.
magadalena - yes!
ruth - besides the spam issue my email list was a mess - save the first Saturday of December 2010!
Posted by: Barbara | December 07, 2009 at 06:43 AM
What a wonderful party, such great ladies and a fabulous cause. Thank you so much. Barb
Posted by: Barbara Force | December 07, 2009 at 08:26 AM
Barbara,
I would be happy to send some books to be included. Also, do you know where to take books that I am giving away --- used, by me -- but in good condition. At moment take to shelter on 12th Street in SM.
Happy Holidays --- enjoy your blog (is that what your lovely web spot is called).
Harriet
Posted by: Harriet | December 07, 2009 at 09:04 AM
Barbara,
Thank you for inviting me to your lovely home for this special cause. What a wonderful group of inspiring women and what a great way to kick off the season!
Much love, Michele
Posted by: Michele Farinola | December 07, 2009 at 09:26 AM
Barbara:
What a joyful event. Writers everywhere and the ocean right out the window.It was deeply satisfying to be an elf writer wrapping, a writer chatting and best of all sharing the writers spirit of the season. You make beauty happen Barbara dear it was memorable.
Thank you for including me.
~Mary Rose
Posted by: Mary Rose Betten | December 07, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Barbara, so sorry to have missed. I was at the Genealogical Library in Burbank showing my film, Los Pastores, and giving a speech afterwards. They got started late so that I couldnt get over the hill in time for one of my favorite parties of the year. Thank you for doing this. Have a wonderful holiday. Off to NYC. Hugs, Loren
Posted by: Loren Stephens | December 07, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Barb - thanks for coming and yes, great ladies -
Harriet - Save the first Saturday next December -
Michele - a great photo of you!
Mary Rose - only a poet could write those singing words: elf writer wrapping.
Posted by: Barbara | December 07, 2009 at 11:26 AM
Barbara,
What a lovely party! Our fireside chat made my day.
Posted by: Denise Emanuel Clemen | December 07, 2009 at 01:20 PM
Denise - It made mine too! We've got to do that more often.
Posted by: Barbara | December 07, 2009 at 03:37 PM
I like the idea that you give free books to those who cannot afford them. I was hoping to also participate a group like yours.
Posted by: Lea | December 07, 2009 at 06:20 PM
Lea - think about starting a group of your own. A lot of friends have copied this idea - I love that it's spreading.
Posted by: Barbara | December 08, 2009 at 07:13 AM
Sorry to have missed it! I didn't get an invite either so don't know if it's email or spam. I hope to join you next year!
Cynthia
Posted by: Cynthia | December 09, 2009 at 10:45 PM