I am now reading several books on the writer’s craft, working my way through the best ones I can find, for an article I’m writing – and it is proving to be a fantastic project for me.

While I won’t really be including those books in book reports – as most of you aren’t terribly interested in writing books – I will say, during this report time, I’ve also reread both Stephen King’s On Writing and Anne Lamott’s Bird by Bird – and I would consider them each almost modern classics when it comes to writer’s guides. On their own, they are truly enjoyable reads for anyone – and encourage creativity in all readers. ❤

That said, the first book I’ll mention in this report is Sara Bareilles Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) In Song. In the same vein as Dolly Parton’s Songteller I wrote about last report, Sara writes her memoir through all of her songs – including her musical, Waitress. She is vulnerable and open about hard things and also charming and witty – and this book is just a really enjoyable read.

My second book is a bit different – but I think that’s what I liked most about it.

It’s called Poetry Will Save Your Life: A Memoir by Jill Bialosky. As the title hints, Jill is a poet and she tells her life story through poetry – some well-known poets like Plath and Frost, some lesser known, 51 poems in total. Her sharing these poems and their meanings and their place in her life is beautiful and illuminating.

This is not a light read – there is infant loss and the suicide of a close family member – but it is so moving.

My third book actually is one I read as part of my writer’s article research – but it is also more memoir than writing guide of any sort – and I loved it – so I’m including Amy Tan’s The Opposite of Fate: Memories of a Writing Life.

Amy is well-known as the author of many works, most notably probably is The Joy Luck Club.

This book, a fairly lengthy memoir, is yes, about her writing – and there are many helpful things a fellow writer can glean from her ❤ – but it is also about growing up between Chinese and American cultures and traveling to China as an adult and her strained relationship with her mother and losing her father and brother to cancer when she was young and her relationship with her half-sisters in China who don’t speak in English and her rock band with Stephen King, Barbara Kingsolver, Mitch Albom, Robert Fulghum, Matt Groening, Scott Turow, Dave Barry (I am so serious, y’all) and her battle with Lyme Disease and so much more. . .

Yes, I am preaching the word about this one. She’s a fabulous lady. ❤

Finally, the last one is a reread that I just felt called to this week, for a break in my research-type reading – and with my hair on fire over banned book lists.

One of the most beautifully written American novels I believe – and a frequently banned book – is The Great Gatsby.

I revisited it – and my better half and I enjoyed a date night with the film as well. ❤

C.S. Lewis actually said, “It is a good rule after reading a new book, never to allow yourself another new one till you have read an old one in between.”

While I can’t imagine having time to do that, I do appreciate the spirit of revisiting the books we love best as well as finding new ones.

For me, Gatsby is definitely one of the best. ❤

Wishing you all a week of happy reading.

Be well, everybody. Take care of yourselves and each other.

Grace and Blessings.