Silvie's bookshelf
Words and something more
Insomniac City: New York, Oliver, and Me
A mix of unrelated journal entries and photos (that had no role to advance the text). I admire the poetic genius of Oliver Sacks and the attraction for New York but somehow this book missed something that could have made it a memorable memoir.
The Elements of Academic Style: Writing for the Humanities
It has some useful advice on (academic) writing but it's the kind of book you could easily avoid while writing a book be it academic or otherwise. Hayot's writing seemed dry at times.
Joséphine
Bagieu's comics is a fun and relaxing way to spend a weekend (Jo's life is relatable to most young women who face expectations from family, friends, and society).
The Deleted World
Transtromer moves you into his realm with his realistic and beautiful poetry. Everyone should read at least one of his poems during their life.
How to Be Idle
How to be idle offered me a wide range of books for my to-read list. The book itself was a pleasant reading and made me think of Austin Kleon who is not and adept of the work-yourself-to-death idea.
To Show and to Tell: The Craft of Literary Nonfiction
After many radio interviews with Lopate I finally found the courage to read one of his books. I came with no expectations to be blown away but many things surprised me and made me think. One of the few books worth keeping on your nightstand.
Dear Data
If you didn't now by now, data visualization is beautiful. The correspondence of Giorgia and Stefanie is even more beautiful, and colorful, and significant. In a world of fast internet and social media, data brings people closer and makes their relationships more meaningful.
De două mii de ani...
O carte excelentă și unul dintre puținele volume scrise de un autor român care e suficient de complex pentru a fi la același nivel cu volumele americane sau franceze. Ca și în piesele sale de teatru, Sebastian nu scrie forțat și te face să empatizezi fără a folosi artificii.
Empty Chairs: Selected Poems
Cigarettes, birds, household objects. Everything is an inspiration for Liu Xia and her poetry is a tranquility for your senses.
 - Henry James, Jean Gooder)
Daisy Miller and Other Stories (Oxford World's Classics)
I liked the first and the last story. But the în between was not my cup of tea. I don't know if it was my Romanian's translation's fault (there were 4 translators that worked on this book) but they seemed to be too descriptive.
Ignore Everybody: and 39 Other Keys to Creativity
It is mostly a common sense advice book for creatives: do your think, work hard, keep your day job etc. Probably the wisest advice is the idea that there is no relationship between stationary accessories and your (creative) work. You won't write like Hemingway, Proust, [insert other famous writer's name] only because you have a colorful notebook and a 1.000 $ pen.
Teatru
Mihail Sebastian are un fel unic de a te introduce în poveștile sale. Piesele sale de teatru sunt savuroase și parcă bucuria e mai mare ca nu sunt introduse în manualele școlare pentru a fi casate.
The Associated Press Stylebook 2015
This is probably the best stylebook out there. With some basic advice for writers, the AP Stylebook is the one book you should revisit frequently.
The Authentic Swing: Notes From the Writing of a First Novel
Pressfield said some interesting things about being a writer/screenwriter but it was mostly a promotion of his first novel (The Legend of Bagger Vance) that turned into a movie.
Currently reading
Mrs. Dalloway
You Can't Make This Stuff Up: The Complete Guide to Writing Creative Nonfiction--from Memoir to Literary Journalism and Everything in Between
Mrs. Dalloway
An Extraordinary Theory of Objects: A Memoir of an Outsider in Paris
Live or Die
