Bob Odenkirk's Reading List

The actor and author of "A Load of Hooey" keeps a volume of "hippie philosophizing" on his shelves as a counterbalance to his "angry, skeptical, scowling mind."

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By the Book: Bob Odenkirk (2014)

NYT By the Book column (2014-11-06).

Source: www.nytimes.com

Stuart: A Life Backwards

Alexander Masters · Buy on Amazon

"books I've read multiple times, and all are rewarding for me to crack open at anyplace and sample. Stuart: A Life Backwards, by Alexander Masters."

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain · 1884 · Buy on Amazon

"Huckleberry Finn, by Mark Twain. books I've read multiple times, and all are rewarding for me to crack open at anyplace and sample."

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius

Dave Eggers · 2000 · Buy on Amazon

"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers."

Spoon River Anthology

Edgar Lee Masters · Buy on Amazon

"Spoon River Anthology, by Edgar Lee Masters, because I am from Illinois, too."

The Dog of the South

Charles Portis · Buy on Amazon

"The Dog of the South, by Charles Portis (and I also love True Grit as read by Donna Tartt in the audiobook)."

Harpo Speaks!

Harpo Marx · Buy on Amazon

"Harpo seems like the sweetest guy, has great stories, and his generous voice is a great one to put in your head."

Will Not Attend

Adam Resnick · Buy on Amazon

"Adam Resnick's memoir, Will Not Attend. It made me laugh on every page, more than once. If this column exists to recommend a book, let it be that one."

Never Let Me Go

Kazuo Ishiguro · 2005 · Buy on Amazon

"I've just begun Never Let Me Go, by Kazuo Ishiguro — both very good, very different."

Room

Emma Donoghue · 2010 · Buy on Amazon

"I am going to finish Room, by Emma Donoghue — both very good, very different."

Favorite books (2021)

Favorite books recommended by Bob Odenkirk, as compiled by radicalreads.com. Source article: https://radicalreads.com/bob-odenkirk-favorite-books/.

Source: radicalreads.com

The Dog of the

Charles Portis · Buy on Amazon

"A hilarious narrator goes on a loony mission to catch up with his runaway wife, following the trail of credit card receipts she leaves from Arkansas to Belize. He’s driven by resentment and pettiness — and yet he is also clearly entertained by the world around him. This is, to me, a very American voice."

True Grit

Charles Portis (also rec’d by Anthony Bourdain & David Mamet ) · Buy on Amazon

"Two books on one list — this guy outdid himself! Portis’ most famous book is a more traditionally structured story than Dog of the South , and yet its central voice is so likable — somehow cynical and, at the same time, forgiving."

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Mark Twain (also rec’d by Dick Cavett & Stephen King ) · Buy on Amazon

"Do I need to waste your time telling you this is the book of books? Sorry about the N-word, but it must be taken in the context of the time it was written. Plus it’s clear to me that Twain was making a strong (and sly) statement about the humanity of those who were then labeled the N-word."

Tragically I Was an Only Twin: The Complete Peter Cook

William Cook · Buy on Amazon

"This is a collection of pieces the great Peter Cook either wrote or improvised. Cook, to me, represents the most naturally funny man there ever was. He could spin comedy out of the smallest comment."

Swing Hammer Swing!

Jeff Torrington · Buy on Amazon

"After reading an energetic, positive review buried deep within The New York Times one day, I bought this Glasgow-set first novel and was thrilled by the writing: Swing Hammer Swing! is funny, clever, and bleak as hell. I wrote Torrington a fan letter, the only one I’ve ever written. Never received a reply. No hard feelings."

To Kill a Mockingbird

Harper Lee (also rec’d by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , Neil Patrick Harris , Nicholas Sparks & Shonda Rhimes ) · Buy on Amazon

"You already know this. Lyrical writing. A child’s point of view, but done with intelligence and sensitivity, and a lesson at the end that is the only lesson you ever need to know to become a good person. So say I."

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