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James McBride's Reading List

The author of “The Color of Water” and “The Good Lord Bird” says his favorite novelist is Toni Morrison. “She plays off the horn, like Coltrane did. She busts through the form.”

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By the Book: James McBride (2013)

NYT By the Book column (2013-08-01).

Source: www.nytimes.com

Cover of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich
William L. Shirer · Buy on Amazon
"“The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich,” by William Shirer. All 1,100 pages, and I wish there were more. Just finished it. I should’ve read it years ago."
Becoming a Man
Paul Monette · Buy on Amazon
"At the top would have to be Paul Monette, author of “Becoming a Man.” He was a superbly gifted writer who died during the AIDS epidemic that deprived us of a generation of talent."
Bread Givers
Anzia Yezierska · Buy on Amazon
"Anzia Yezierska, “Bread Givers.”"
Call It Sleep
Henry Roth · Buy on Amazon
"Henry Roth, “Call It Sleep”"
Cover of Christ Stopped at Eboli
Christ Stopped at Eboli
Carlo Levi · Buy on Amazon
"Carlo Levi, “Christ Stopped at Eboli”"
Cover of The Chrysalids
The Chrysalids
John Wyndham · Buy on Amazon
"the British writer John Wyndham (“The Chrysalids”), whose deep imagination and challenge to religious zealotry should serve as a template for any young sci-fi writer."
Been in the Storm So Long
Leon Litwack · Buy on Amazon
"Leon Litwack’s books on slavery are favorites, especially “Been in the Storm So Long.”"
Welcome to the Monkey House
Kurt Vonnegut · Buy on Amazon
"Kurt Vonnegut’s “Welcome to the Monkey House.”"
How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive
John Muir · Buy on Amazon
"I started with John Muir’s “How to Keep Your Volkswagen Alive,” and now have the service manuals to most of the cars I’ve owned"
Making the Most of Your Money
Jane Bryant Quinn · Buy on Amazon
"Jane Bryant Quinn’s “Making the Most of Your Money” works for me, though she’s not fond of cars."
Patterns for Improvisation
Oliver Nelson · Buy on Amazon
"Several books on jazz arranging and technique, most notably Oliver Nelson’s “Patterns for Improvisation.”"
My Way of Life
Walter Farrell · Buy on Amazon
"if I had to force him to read something, it would be “My Way of Life,” a pocket-reader version (edited by Walter Farrell) of the “Summa Theologica” of St. Thomas. God’s wisdom comes in handy when you’re the leader of the free world."
Cover of The Bluest Eye
The Bluest Eye
Toni Morrison · 1970 · Buy on Amazon
"Toni Morrison (“The Bluest Eye”) got me out of bed"
Black Boy
Richard Wright · Buy on Amazon
"Richard Wright (“Black Boy”) got me to school on the bus"
Cover of To Kill a Mockingbird
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee · Buy on Amazon
"Harper Lee (“To Kill a Mockingbird”) helped me sleep at night."
Cover of Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Uncle Tom’s Cabin
Harriet Beecher Stowe · Buy on Amazon
"Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”"

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