December 2nd, 2008 / 10:31 am
 Random

Books That Saved Someone’s Life

A very smart woman I know started this site called Books That Saved My Life and it’s pretty self explanatory. She pusblishes people’s essays about particular books of books that have saved or have the capacity to save someone’s life. It’s still new, but there are already some good essays up, one of my favorites being Fan Letters to Judy Blum by CJ Evans.

I think she’s looking for more essays, so open that word document titled “LoveSongtoWhiteNoise?” and polish that sucker up.

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6 Comments

  1. December 2nd, 2008 / 7:28 pm Justin Taylor—

      I would say that The Names did me better than White Noise. Oh and Great Jones Street, as far as DeLillo goes. not sure either one saved my life, precisely, but we take our thrills where we can find them.

      Similarly, after I bought a copy of Gary Lutz’s Stories in the Worst Way, there was a short but very real period of time where whenever I was wasted and on a subway late at night, I would start reading aloud from it to whoever would listen. I just thought it was the most mind-bending thing I’d ever seen. I must have looked like I wanted money, though I didn’t, which is good, because nobody gave me any.

      So I guess what I’m really trying to say is that I’m lucky to be alive, no thanks to Gary’s book, though in another sense that book made life worth not only living but potentially worth getting killed over, even though in the end it all pretty much came to naught.

  2. December 2nd, 2008 / 3:28 pm Justin Taylor—

      I would say that The Names did me better than White Noise. Oh and Great Jones Street, as far as DeLillo goes. not sure either one saved my life, precisely, but we take our thrills where we can find them.

      Similarly, after I bought a copy of Gary Lutz’s Stories in the Worst Way, there was a short but very real period of time where whenever I was wasted and on a subway late at night, I would start reading aloud from it to whoever would listen. I just thought it was the most mind-bending thing I’d ever seen. I must have looked like I wanted money, though I didn’t, which is good, because nobody gave me any.

      So I guess what I’m really trying to say is that I’m lucky to be alive, no thanks to Gary’s book, though in another sense that book made life worth not only living but potentially worth getting killed over, even though in the end it all pretty much came to naught.

  3. December 2nd, 2008 / 8:57 pm samuel pink the third, duke of—

      i like archie ammons

  4. December 2nd, 2008 / 4:57 pm samuel pink the third, duke of wilbyshire upon avon stratsfordhaven—

      i like archie ammons

  5. December 2nd, 2008 / 9:01 pm KevinS—

      Gary Lutz is Jesus-like, God-like, in that way. Stories in the Worst Way is way better than The Prophet.
      For me, I think Breakfast of Champions and My Cousin, My Gastroenterologist rank up there too. And in a totally different way, Please Don’t Kill the Freshman.

  6. December 2nd, 2008 / 5:01 pm KevinS—

      Gary Lutz is Jesus-like, God-like, in that way. Stories in the Worst Way is way better than The Prophet.
      For me, I think Breakfast of Champions and My Cousin, My Gastroenterologist rank up there too. And in a totally different way, Please Don’t Kill the Freshman.