We are so thrilled to chat with Sheila Grinell, author of Appetite. Here, Sheila shares a few facts about herself and the five books that have inspired her writing most!
Liberty of Conscience: In Defense of America’s Tradition of Religious Equality – because it relates to the novel I’m working on now, which is set partly in Saudi Arabia.
I come to conclusions so quickly and firmly that I can’t explain them to others adequately. I can alienate interlocutors in a flash.
I’m stuck at the computer in my home office most days. I would prefer to work on my patio, but the light isn’t right. Coffee shops with wi-fi make for a good change.
I read the story Paul’s Case by Willa Cather as an adolescent. I didn’t know stories could make one feel so intensely. I identified with Paul’s need for escape, and I was angry at him for months for killing himself in the end.
The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy – I read this 18th century classic in college and thought, “Oh, wow, what a slice of life, as valid now as then. There’s something immutable about human nature.” I felt buoyed by writing that reached across centuries.
Ways of Seeing, by John Berger et al. The book (made from a BBC TV series that I had not seen) talked about art and criticism in non-traditional ways and I said to myself, “Right on!” (the vernacular of the period). It was fresh, truthful, and eye-opening, an enviable combination of qualities.
The Power Broker, by Robert A. Caro. Living and working in New York, I was bowled over by this magnificent recounting of the life and influence of Robert Moses. Caro is so good at spotting the underground drivers of a story and selecting just the right detail to illuminate them. Of course, he writes thousands of pages, something I would never do. But I learned a lot reading them.
…and more recently:
Lit, by Mary Karr. This is the third, and best, volume of Karr’s memoirs. She writes and then rewrites until the words are just right. She brings a poetic sensibility to tough stuff. I hope to do so, too.
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