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Novels and stories that make permanent imprints on the heart.
While working as an attorney in Manhattan, aspiring novelist Emily Giffin first tried her hand at fiction with a book for young adults; after she moved to London, and penned the more grown-up tale Something Borrowed, she found herself a bestselling author, garnering both critical praise and popular acclaim for her stories of romance, parenthood, and modern life have: her latest, Heart of the Matter, will be published next week. Emily Giffin shared three of her favorite books with the Barnes & Noble Review.
By Carson McCullers
"I think the timing of when you read a book plays into your love for it. If I read this book later in life, I'm not sure it would have become a favorite. But I was in the eighth grade when I immersed myself in the quiet angst of this coming-of-age story. I loved twelve-year-old Frankie for so many reasons, but mostly because she made me feel less lonely -- as if I weren't the only one who wished to be a part of something larger."
By Elinor Lipman
"Sometimes it's hard to pinpoint exactly why you fall in love with a book or movie -- or a person, for that matter -- but I adore this little gem of a romantic comedy about a segregated inn in Vermont. It is satisfying, sweet, and wise – and, like all of Lipman's books, utterly original. She is so brilliant at creating witty dialogue and vivid characters, and has been a great inspiration to me as a writer, especially when I was finding the courage to leave my career as an attorney. I so admire her straightforward, authentic storytelling, and can always count on her for a happy ending."
By Alice Munro
"As far as I'm concerned, Alice Munro is the best writer alive today (and better than most of the famous dead ones too!) and this is her most superb collection of stories. I marvel at her ability to instill the deepest empathy for her characters and depict betrayal, love, and friendship seemingly so effortlessly. My favorite in this collection is "Tricks" -- a haunting story about a woman who, through odd happenstance, finds and then loses the love of her life. I don't need intricate plot twists to love a book or story -- yet I never saw this surprise coming."
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