Last Christmas, my bosom buddy in my writing cohort at Wilkes, Ginger Marcinkowski got me "The Book Lover's Calendar," which features a different book on a daily basis.
I loved this gift. Wait. I need to say this again. I LOVED this gift. Each day the calendar recommends something different--fiction, non-fiction, literary fiction, genre fiction. While many of the non-fiction titles intrigued, I took a particular interest in all the fiction featured.
I couldn't possibly have read everything I wanted to, but here's just some of the books I've finished thus far, thanks to this calendar:
- Ghost by Alan Lightman
- The Senator's Wife by Sue Miller (I didn't even realize Sue Miller wrote a novel)
- Life of Pi by Yann Martel (a favorite!)
- Our Story Begins, collected stories by Tobias Wolff
- People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
- Blasphemy by Douglas Preston
- All We Ever Wanted Was Everything by Janelle Brown
- Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
- Walking in Circles Before Lying Down by Merrill Markoe
- Coal Black Horse by Robert Olmstead
I tried about a half dozen others that weren't to my liking, but as a writer, I learned something from every one, not just the books I finished. I also should mention that even using the Interlibrary Loan service at the college where I work (which I also love), I couldn't find every book mentioned. But there were plenty others to choose from.
Another thing I like about this calendar is that each book is pitched to perfection, in only a sentence or two. Every writer who wants to publish needs to know how to pitch her book in such a manner, so I was exposed to daily examples of how to do it right. Sometimes the pitches were so good, they made the books sound better than they actually were.
I can't thank Ginger enough for such a valuable gift. And I still have at least sixty recommendations left for 2010. So, if there's a writer in your life for whom you need a gift--birthday, holiday, whatever--do consider this calendar. Some presents are tauted as gifts that keep on giving. Honest to Pete, this one really is one of those kinds of gifts.
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