archive

October 9, 2012 When Rebecca Harrington ran out of Jane Austen novels, she was devastated — until she discovered Austen's Juvenilia, a treasure trove of unfinished novels, stories and letters. Do you like reading unpublished work by your favorite author? Tell us in the comments.

Summary

October 22, 2012 The hero of The Dice Man decides to live his life by chance; murder, adultery and an escape from a mental hospital ensue. Novelist Sheila Heti explains how at age 13 she also began living by the die. Has a book ever changed the way you live your life? Tell us in the comments.

Summary

October 31, 2012 The classic horror novel The Exorcist inspired an even creepier movie, but author Mark Danielewski says after he saw the film, it changed the book in his mind forever. Has a movie ever overtaken its literary counterpart in your imagination? Tell us in the comments.

Summary

November 7, 2012 The cult favorite 1965 novel Dune was a classic of sci-fi literature. But author Leigh Bardugo says that when she was 12, Dune wasn't just an escape — it changed her world. Has a book ever opened your eyes to an alternate reality? Tell us in the comments.

Summary

November 12, 2012 For Alan Shapiro, reading Lawrence Ferlinghetti's poems was like an discovering an alternate universe. A Coney Island of the Mind elevated him out of the staid world of his parents and changed his sense of self forever. Is there a book that shook your convictions? Tell us about it in the comments.

Summary

December 5, 2012 Lois Duncan's 1979 novel, Daughters of Eve, takes revenge to a whole new level. Author Mary Stewart Atwell explains why this classic novel is still relevant. Do you have a favorite story of revenge that goes too far? Tell us in the comments.

Summary

December 10, 2012 Elektra Natchios is the ultimate comic book heroine — sexy, smart and completely lethal. But author Sean Howe explains how a grim prequel destroyed his idealized vision of the sultry assassin. Have you ever read a prequel that ruined the book? Tell us in the comments.

Summary

December 26, 2012 The Virgin Suicides takes teenage angst to the extreme. Writer, blogger and professional teenager Tavi Gevinson explains why it's a book she can't put down, year after adolescent year.

Summary

December 31, 2012 William Gibson's Neuromancer is a hacker classic. Author Nick Harkaway says it's also a door to a greater world. Is there a book that took you outside of your comfort zone? Tell us in the comments.

Summary

January 7, 2013 Harold Robbins' 1966 novel The Adventurers featured the lethal and stunning man of mystery, Dax. Author Manil Suri writes that Robbins' novel was his first glimpse into an adult world. What was your first "adult" novel? Tell us in the comments.

Summary