At Thanksgiving dinner each year, we each say two or three things that we’re thankful for each year. Here’s my literary take on this tradition:
I’m thankful for literary authors that are producing excellent books. This year, A.S. Byatt and Jonathan Franzen immediately come to mind, who do you think of first?
I’m thankful that Suzanne Collins ended the Hunger Games trilogy in such a thought and discussion provoking manner. Not so thankful that the trilogy is over.
I’m thankful that Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand provided 48 hours of cozy reading during a misty and overcast week at the beach.
I’m thankful for the Tournament of Books and am waiting fairly impatiently for the 2011 long-list. My first thought after the announcement that the winner of the National Book Award was a book that had been released to the public just that day was “the Tournament of Books wouldn’t try to pull this over on the public.”
I’m thankful to my daughter for bugging me to read My Most Excellent Year because it is her favorite YA book, now it’s mine too. I pretty much cried through the last 50 pages, I’m thankful I wasn’t in public then.
I’m thankful that there are still so many vibrant independent bookstores still in business and new ones opening up, even though, as we’ve all heard, the book is dead. Oh, I’m thankful the book is still living.
I’m thankful for authors who I dream about someday writing like: Ross King, Sarah Vowell, Anne Fadiman.
I’m thankful to The Millions, Elegant Variation, Culture Monster and Jacket Copy for my favorite early morning reads when I’m not even awake enough to face the newspaper. They gently lead me into the day. What’s your first-thing-in-the-morning read?
I’m thankful to Julie Robinson, the Booker and the National Book Award for recommending good books year after year.
I’m thankful to the Beverly Hills Literary Escape for giving me an incredible literary weekend.
What’s on your literary ‘thank you’ list?
Enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday, we’ll be back next week.
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Like you, I would love to write like Anne Fadiman. Sigh. What a wonderful list! Have a fantastic Thanksgiving, Kim.
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Pingback from 5 Things I’m Thankful For. « Irene Chan on April 12, 2011 at 7:49 pm
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