Exploring Top Books of Shelfari

Genius: A Mosaic of One Hundred Exemplary Creative Minds

Genius: A Mosaic of One Hundred Exemplary Creative Minds

by Harold Bloom

A monumental achievement of scholarship, GENIUS examines 100 of the most creative and literary minds in history. From the Bible to Socrates, through the transcendent achievements of Shakespeare and Dante, down through the ages to Hemingway, Faulkner, and Ralph Ellison, Bloom discusses the numerous influences of his chosen geniuses and the kinships among them over the centuries. He also offers revealing excerpts... (more)

Thirteen Ways of Looking at the Novel

by Jane Smiley

Over an extraordinary twenty-year career, Jane Smiley has written all kinds of novels: mystery, comedy, historical fiction, epic. “Is there anything Jane Smiley cannot do?” raves Time magazine. But in the wake of 9/11, Smiley faltered in her hitherto unflagging impulse to write and decided to approach novels from a different angle: she read one hundred of them, from classics such as the thousand-year-old Tale... (more)

What to Read: The Essential Guide for Reading Group Members and Other Book Lovers

What to Read: The Essential Guide for Reading Group Members and Other Book Lovers

by Ph. D. Pearlman, Mickey, Mickey Pearlman

In this revised edition of the classic guide for book clubs, Mickey Pearlman'editor, lecturer, and reading group expert--offers annotated, innovative book lists for every dedicated reader. Whether you've been in a reading group for years, are interested in forming or finding one, or you're a book lover looking for new ideas, What to Read is an indispensable resource, listing hundreds of contemporary and... (more)

The Lifetime Reading Plan

by John S. Major, Clifton Fadiman

Now in print for the first time in almost 40 years, The New Lifetime Reading Plan provides readers with brief, informative and entertaining introductions to more than 130 classics of world literature. From Homer to Hawthorne, Plato to Pascal, and Shakespeare to Solzhenitsyn, the great writers of Western civilization can be found in its pages. In addition, this new edition offers a much broader representation of... (more)