I got my hands on a copy of Audrey Niffenegger’s Her Fearful Symmetry before our fiction editor Abby did. When she asked me what the novel was about, I thought for a minute and said, “In two words? Creepy twins.”
Though obviously there’s a little more to the book than that, overall I stand by that statement. And her latest work is also creepy, though minus the twins. Fans of her more mainstream works may not realize it, but Niffenegger also publishes graphic novels. Her most recent is The Night Bookmobile (Abrams)—the story, which originally appeared in Zoetrope All Story and was also published serially in the Guardian, is about Alexandra, a young woman who finds a mysterious bookmobile on Ravenswood Avenue in Chicago one night. It is bigger than it looks from the outside, and contains only the books she herself has read.
- Here was my paperback copy of Anna Karenina, fattened by repeated reading. I picked up Gravity’s Rainbow. As I fanned through the book I saw that the text stopped at page fifty-seven; the remaining pages were blank. I had never finished reading it. A popsicle stick served to mark the place I had not come back to.
Over the course of the next 20 years, Lexi tries—with varying degrees of success—to find the bookmobile again, and figure out how to stay there forever. But escape comes at a price.
We have one copy of the book to give away to a lucky reader. Just tell us in the comments what book you’re most proud to have in your personal “I’ve read it!” library—your Night Bookmobile, so to speak—before next Monday, and you’re entered. Good luck!
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ETA: Contest closed — congrats to Bess, our #1 commenter, who was chosen by Random.org as the winner.
The books I am thrilled to have in my library are my autographed copies: Norman Mailer, Chris Bohjalian, and my autographed copy of The Silver Palate.
My most treasured book in my library is a signed copy of Anthony Bourdain’s “Kitchen Confidential”.
“Stop Whining, Start Living” by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
The book that I am most proud to have in my library is The Emperor of Ocean Park by Stephen L. Carter. Many found it difficult to read but I found the writing beautiful and poetic.
My favorite book that is in my home library is A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell.
I was enthralled by the beautiful writing in Beryl Markham’s memoir of her life in Africa, West with the Night. Only later did I find that Ernest Hemingway’s response to her writing was that she could “write rings around all of us who consider ourselves writers.” I’m proud to own her book.
“Black Body” by H.C. Turk and “The Catswold Portal” by Shirley Rousseau Murphy.
I enjoyed Audrey’s TTW. And I love ‘creepy’! I’d really like to win this book. Thanks.
Meljprincess AT aol DOT com
*I put my email in here as sometimes I have trouble getting into the site.
My autographed copy of “Light Fantastic: Adventures in Theatre” by John Lahr.
I still re-read The Stand by Stephen King.
A 1958 set of Childcraft Encyclopedias
Pillars of the Earth, have reread it many times.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch inspired me.
I’m most proud of my Stephen King collection. Most of the books are a little worn from being read but I think it just makes them better. I love his books and have read almost all of them.
My most treasured book is “The Poems of Alice E. Chase” that my grandmother and I used to read together
My favorite book I have on my shelf is The Help. I love this book. The best book I’ve read in over a year.
I am glad that I always have Richard Adams’ “Watership Down” to turn to in times of stress or difficulty.
My autographed TRIXIE BELDEN books that author, Kathryn Kenny sent me when I was a young girl.
That beautiful quote really resonated – I too have a “fattened” “AK” from high school which I read at least every ten years – two years ago treated myself to the new translation. Rereading lets you discover who you were, and who you’ve become!
I have two most treasured books. one written by my brother:Uncle Sam wants you…
and the other written by my sister about the buildings of the Savannah College of Art and Design.
both are autographed!
I am proud to have The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Diaz!
I cherish most my collection of Charles Dickens and Ernest Hemingway books. I love the old classics. De Harris
I have several copies of Anna Karenina, including a beautiful Easton Press edition. This book blew me away at twenty and I try to reread it at least every ten years. It also inspired a lifetime love of Russian literature and an attempt to read everything by Tolstoy.
This may reveal my simpler tastes than the previous entrants, but I love having Water For Elephants and The Guernsey Potato Peel & Literary Club in my personal library.
I love my books by Sarah Addison Allen; she has a wonderful mystical quality in her writing. Other favorites I have are Gone With The Wind, Watership Downs, Tales from Margaritaville by Jimmy Buffett and books by Neil Gaiman and by Nick Bantock.
“Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There.” by Lewis Carroll. Hard to top these two.
“In a Wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the days go by,
Dreaming as the summers die:
Ever drifting down the stream –
Lingering in the golden gleam –
Life, what is it but a dream?”
I am most proud of having read anything I have then been able to pass on to just the right person or people. There are two that have been shared frequently – Bulgakov’s The Master and Margarita and Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett’s Good Omens.
The one book I come back to time and again is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. It is the only book I look forward to re-reading regularly. If it were in the Night Bookmobile it would be the fattest book in my collection!
My library includes signed copies of many of Ivan Doig’s works–my late brother’s & my collections. I also treasure my first favorite book, Marion Holland’s No Children, No Pets, a Weekly Reader Children’s Book Club edition published in 1957. It retailed then for $2.50; I recently found a copy for $24.00 & am thrilled!
I loved reading everyone’s comments!
Hi! I have many treasured books, but the one that sticks in my mind is “Garden Spells” by Sarah Addison Allen. It is her first novel and was a magical book to read.
I have an (almost) complete collection of Taylor Caldwell novels … and, yes, I’ve read every one of them!
As a 5th grade teacher, I love having A Single Shard, Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, and A View from Saturday; as a mom of a two year old, I love Bless Me and Is Your Mama a Llama; and as reader myself, I love 1000 White Women and Those Who Save Us in my personal library.
I will never give up my collection of John LeCarre. He has an insight to the world like no other.
i am proud to say, and still have a hardback copy of, “…and ladies of the club.” this is a wonderful book and i can so appreciate it now, but i read it in my early 20s. it was one of the longest books i ever read but i didn’t have to slog through it. it captivated me from beginning to end even tho it was totally unlike anything i had ever read before. it was guernsey before guernsey.
My favorite book is The Chronicles of Narnia. This is about the only book that I will read over and over again.
Definitely “Gone With the Wind”, a classic I read at an early age and have read again and again.
I have two books that were both my Mother’s that I cherish: ‘Gone with the Wind’ with pictures of the cast from the movie and ‘Anne of Green Gables’ that she received as a gift when she was a child.
I like to swap books a lot, but the book I can’t seem to part with is “A Knight In Shining Armor” by Jude Deveraux.
Jill, a co-worker lent me A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOUR, saying I just had to read it and if I didn’t like it, she wouldn’t talk to me anymore
. It’s normally not my genre but I LOVED it and had a hard time putting it down. I would buy it if I saw it at a library sale/thrift store. I had never read this author’s books before and now want to read more.
I also cherish GONE WITH THE WIND. It was a gift from my husband when we got married.
I have so many wonderful books in my home library. I’m proud to have Anne Rice’s Interview With a Vampire in my library. I still think it’s the best books that started all the other vampire books. The story is fascinating and makes you wish there was more. Thank you.
makeupgirl21@comcast.net
Yes, it’s one of my very favorites of hers–mine is actually autographed.
Ann Patchett’s Bel Canto – one of my favorite books that I have lent out to many people.
My library shelves are overflowing with so many great books it is hard to choose just one. Since Kent Haruf is probably at the top of my list for favorite authors I guess his “Plainsong” is the one I read over and over.
I have two copies of David Copperfield by Dickens. One is my reading copy, and the other is a recent re-print of the Nonesuch edition. I love the book so much, and I just love the way the Nonesuch re-print looks! The Nonesuch re-print of David Copperfield would probably be the one I’m most proud of. I almost never, ever buy books because of how they look, but I jsut really love that one! The illustrations are gorgeous, too! They look so much nicer than in a small paperback, and the paper and ink used is beautiful quality.
I have a really awesome peter pan pop up book.
I also love my Charles Dickens collection. I have some old penguin editions and they are beautiful. Probably my favorite is a book my great uncle wrote. It’s in farsi, so I doubt anyone has heard of it.
I have a fantastic collection of books on Jack the Ripper–which I guess no one in the world would want…but my all time favorite is an older copy (1944) of JANE EYRE–and no, it is not signed by Charlotte.
I treasure all the books in my book collection. It’s hard to choose one. They are all a treasure to me.
I will not part with any of them.
My Night Bookmobile favorite is “Antarctic Navigation” by Elizabeth Arthur. It inspired me at a time in my life when I needed it.
All of Eric Marie Remarque’s novels.
my autographed copy of “The Last Orders” by Graham Swift is one of my favorite books I own.
Thank you.
Amy
Aimala127@gmail.com
I,M A BIG FAN OF GREGG STEBBEN AND C.BRIANKELLY THEY I HAVE ALOT OF BOOKS BY C.BRIAN KELLY I ONLY HAVE ONE BOOK BY GREGG STEBBEN BUT I READ THESE BOOKS ALL THE TIME.
Like a lot of people entering this, I have a TON of books — many of which I’m proud to own and almost all of which I’m proud to have read.
But the books I’d fight to keep, despite having read (almost) none of them, take up almost a whole shelf. They’re by my Dad’s favorite humorist, a guy named H. Allen Smith.
From my cold dead hands, all that, y’know?
My bookmobile book would be Captive Bride by Johanna Lindsey
jbdownie5@yahoo.com
THE BOOK SOUNDS DIFFERENT AND INTERESTING. IN COLD BLOOD WAS THE FIRST BOOK TO PEAK MY INTEREST. SINCE THEN I’M GONE TO MYSTERIES, BIO’S, HISTORY, PRETTY MUCH ANYTHING I CAN GET MY HANDS ON. I’D LOVE TO HAVE MY OWN BOOKMOBILE
My favorite books are the ones I share with friends who share with their friends. The latest “shared” books have been “The Five People you Meet in Heaven” and “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom.
“Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren
Charlotte’s Web. My fourth grade teacher would read us a chapter at the end of the day. I couldn’t wait to find out what was going to happen next. It was definitely the book that made me a life long reader.
“Atlas Shrugged” by Ayn Rand.
The Night Bookmobile is on my reading list.
Marjorie Morningstar and Gone With The Wind, both originals. My Favorites of all time.
The book that made the biggest impression on me as a teenager and kept me reading for 50 more years was “Rebecca”.
This is hard as there are just too many to mention. However, if I HAD to choose, I’d have to pick the one that first moved me to tears, and because of that it is the most memorable book I’ve ever read. I was in 5th grade and the book was/is “Where the Red Fern Grows.”
As I was packing up my library for a cross-country move, I came across a book my aunt had given my when I was in the 3rd grade, “The Mystery of the Strange Traveler” by Phyllis Whitney. I remeber reading and re-reading that book at least once a year as I grew up. I actually took time out from packing to sit down and read again! I sparked my love of mysteries that I continue to read to this day. This the book I love the most in my personal Library, with it’s missing cover, and yellowed pages.
I would have to say “Memoirs of Hadrian.” Gorgeous, blew me away and redefines the translated novel.
My bookmobile book would be A LANTERN IN HER HAND. I think I read this book for the first time in the 4th or 5th grade and have read it many more times over the last 40 years.
Laura Ingalls Wilder books are one of my favorites from my childhood and I continue to re-read them throughout the years.
My most prized book is a first edition copy of Tar Baby by Toni Morrison that my favorite literature professor took notes in. I learned so much from her!
As a retired Title I Reading teacher, I have many favorites. I would have to say that one that I will also have on my shelf is The BFG by Rohl Dahl. It is such a good read-aloud and bound to hook kids into reading. I have seen it happen many times.
It’s hard to pick just one title that I would want to keep forever. I enjoyed Ken Follett’s series on the
building of the cathedral. The title escapes me right now. I would like to see more like that.
I have to agree, it is hard to narrow down my personal bookmobile to one title. The first one of my all time favorites that comes to mind is Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson. When I was just starting to read chapter books, my mother gave me the copy she had gotten from her mother as a girl. It was the first book to get me really excited about both reading and writing.
The Foutainhead by Ayn Rand
I have really enjoyed everything I’ve read by Niffenegger and look forward to reading this title!