Donna Tartt's Reading List

The author of “The Goldfinch” and “The Secret History” says that personally, “to paraphrase Nabokov: all I want from a book is the tingle down the spine, for my hairs to stand on end.”

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By the Book: Donna Tartt (2013)

NYT By the Book column (2013-10-17).

Source: www.nytimes.com

Difficulty of Being

Jean Cocteau · Buy on Amazon

"Am greatly enjoying the Neversink Library reissue of Jean Cocteau’s “Difficulty of Being,” since my copy from college is so torn up the pages are falling out."

Telex From Cuba

Rachel Kushner · Buy on Amazon

"Am also loving Rachel Kushner’s “Telex From Cuba” and Gilbert Highet’s “Poets in a Landscape,” a charming appreciation of Catullus and Propertius and the Latin poets."

Poets in a Landscape

Gilbert Highet · Buy on Amazon

"Gilbert Highet’s “Poets in a Landscape,” a charming appreciation of Catullus and Propertius and the Latin poets."

The Big Sleep

Raymond Chandler · Buy on Amazon

"I always have a comfort book going too, something I’ve read many times, and for me at the moment that comfort book is Raymond Chandler’s “The Big Sleep.”"

The Unquiet Grave

Cyril Connolly · Buy on Amazon

"I certainly haven’t enjoyed anything more than “The Unquiet Grave,” by Cyril Connolly, which I went back and reread sometime early this year. I’ve loved it since I was a teenager."

The Complete Guide to Lock Picking

Unknown · Buy on Amazon

"I was a great fan of the now defunct Loompanics press, which published such self-help classics as “The Complete Guide to Lock Picking” and “How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found.”"

How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found

Unknown · Buy on Amazon

"“The Complete Guide to Lock Picking” and “How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found.”"

Lord Rochester’s Monkey

Graham Greene · Buy on Amazon

"“Lord Rochester’s Monkey,” by Graham Greene."

Doctor Sleep

Stephen King · Buy on Amazon

"And — now that it’s out — “Doctor Sleep,” by Stephen King."

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