A listing of some of my favorite books... check 'em out!

• if on a winter's night a traveler by Italo Calvino -- uniquely different style, as if the author is watching you, or in your head. I like his uniqueness. (N.B. I found I couldn't read this book anymore this year -- too annoying! Nov 2001)
• Snow in August by Pete Hamill -- the story of a young Irish boy growing u p in WWII Brooklyn. Not something I would have ordinarily picked up; but the i mages created by the author and his style of writing kept me engrossed.
• The Book of Laughter and Forgetting by Milan Kundera -- my favorite of th is author's philosophical works. The themes of laughter and forgetting are vagu ely intertwined with several story lines... I just like his "stream of consciou sness" writing style.
• Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott -- another great writer, a local one. This i s actually a non-fiction work subtitled "instructions on writing and life." But it is much more than that -- Ms. Lamott combines her fabulous way with words as well as her storytelling abilities for a wonderful read. She's a local, and all local writers I know, know of her, or have even met her!
• Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes -- a tale of a woman and her husban d and their journey in leaving San Francisco to buy and fix up an old Tuscan vil la. The imagery is incredible; what a remarkable way to learn about the Italia n culture. Man, this book gives me wanderlust...
• Anthem by Ayn Rand -- a concise, well-written tale on the importance of i ndividualism and uniqueness... many people consider this their own personal ant hem -- myself included!
• The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara -- I guarantee you, you've never lear ned history quite like this! Not only is this a remarkable account of the Civil War, but the tale involves interactive dialogue among those involved. A must-r ead for history buffs!