Frances Mayes's Reading List

"Deborah Levy's memoir "Real Estate," which I am reading for the second time."

"My personal definition of great: When finishing a book, do I want to applaud, then throw it up in the air and catch it? Yes, to these three moving and profound books."

"My personal definition of great: When finishing a book, do I want to applaud, then throw it up in the air and catch it? Yes, to these three moving and profound books."

"My personal definition of great: When finishing a book, do I want to applaud, then throw it up in the air and catch it? Yes, to these three moving and profound books."

"The Book of Disquiet is, well, disquieting, sometimes boring, sometimes contrary but most often eye-opening and unique."

"During Covid's grip, I came across Elizabeth Jane Howard's "The Light Years," then realized that she wrote four sequels, making up "The Cazalet Chronicles." I was engrossed to follow each character of this mid-20th-century English family saga."

"I count as ideal the books that make me laugh. Deesha Philyaw's raucous "The Secret Lives of Church Ladies" accomplishes that."

"A trip to Recanati to visit his childhood home's library led me to this mammoth compilation of philosophical, cranky, dark, lyrical entries, a personal and unforgettable commonplace book."

"I'll say give "The Catcher in the Rye" a rest and go for Ocean Vuong's "On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous.""

"Or Carlos Eire's "Waiting for Snow in Havana," or Tracy Kidder's "Mountains Beyond Mountains.""

"Or Carlos Eire's "Waiting for Snow in Havana," or Tracy Kidder's "Mountains Beyond Mountains.""

"All the fans I know are over 50."

"Patience Gray also wrote evocatively about the south (Puglia) in "Honey From a Weed.""

"All have eccentric and fascinating older women characters."

"All have eccentric and fascinating older women characters."

"All have eccentric and fascinating older women characters."

"C.D. Wright's books of poetry feel close to the bone. I keep her books, especially "Deepstep Come Shining" and "Steal Away," with me always. Now she's gone but the words keep her voice close."

"it is a glorious reminder of the intensity of teaching and of what reading can mean."