"I read these four books in my late teens and early twenties, which may have had something to do with my having been swept away by them--by the sheer poetry of the writing, the sensuous atmosphere of Alexandria, the sexual tension, and above all the mystery and ambiguity."

"There is something George Saunders said in an interview that I re-read many times while writing my novel. It’s too long for here but basically: characters don’t have to be articulate to be full human beings. He does this so well and I plan on doing it well"

"Few books have made me think more than this one over the last decade. A meandering philosophical treatise that explores how all types of systems—your body, nature, the economy, your company—get stronger or weaker with stress. Some don’t like Taleb’s writing style, but his ideas are compelling."

"This graphic memoir is about becoming an artist, repression, liberation, death, the dichotomous feelings between parent and child… “Fun Home” takes you on a journey into the rich murkiness of Bechdel’s past. The fusion of her writing and illustrative skill make for a singularly vivid encounter. Devastating, hilarious, inspiring."

"This classic collection of short stories is about a character dealing with addiction, but Johnson masterfully elucidates the "spirit" component of alcoholic "spirits": His writing is almost otherworldly in its attunement to what's below surfaces, gliding into these spaces with words that capture our most nuanced internal states"

"I love cats. Specifically, I love hairless cats. William S. Burroughs (you know, noted wife murderer,) writes so tenderly about cats that you wonder if it’s your job to go back in time to help him be who he could have been. Smart pet writing is so rare."