How literature saved my life by David Shields
Knopf, $25.95
February 4, 2013


What is it about?
It is a series of short thoughts, personal essays, criticism about books, reading and writing.


Why are we talking about it?
As Books Editors, how could we help reading about reading? Also, Shields is a stunning, acclaimed writer.


Who wrote it?
David Shields is the author of 13 previous books. Reality Hunger was named one of the best books of 2010 by more than 30 different publications. He has also published articles and stories in numerous publications, such as The New York Times Magazine, Harper's, and Slate.


Who will read it?
People who understand the magical power of reading.


What do the reviewers say?
New York Times: "There are good sentences throughout How Literature Saved My Life, about Mr. Shields’s stuttering and about his manic-depressive father, who went through several bouts of electroshock therapy. (“I’ll never forget his running back and forth in the living room and repeating, ‘I need the juice,’ while my third-grade friends and I tried to play indoor miniature golf.”) But these moments don’t amount to much. Forswearing traditional storytelling, Mr. Shields doesn’t allow himself to dwell on any subject long enough to say much that’s meaningful about it."