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Books have provided me a route to knowledge and a constant escape, and it boggles my mind that my debut novel PSALMS FOR THE END OF THE WORLD, released September 2022 outside the U.S. and this October 17 in the States, might one day help to do the same for others. Here’s a quick story about the book that changed my life: Michael Chabon’s WONDER BOYS (1995).
To be clear, I’m not saying it’s the only book that did so, but it’s one that did so at a pivotal point in my early adulthood. Without it, I would likely be such a different person today that I wouldn’t recognize myself.
Mine is certainly not a thrilling story in the traditional sense, as much of Chabon’s work often is. However, it’s a story with human stakes, such as WONDER BOYS, a novel about a lost boy-man like James Leer in need of a mentor a la Grady Tripp.
Enter: Chabon.
Well, his writing, at least.
WONDER BOYS weaves a story about a creative writing professor who is afflicted by a kind of paralysis, embodied by an inability to finish a novel, but also an inability to leave an unhappy marriage for the woman he really loves. During a literary fest weekend, Tripp takes under his wing a troubled student of his, James Leer, who is equally lost. If you haven’t read the book, but this all sounds oddly familiar to you, that’s probably because you saw the film adaptation directed by Curtis Hanson, written by Steve Kloves, and starring, amongst others, Michael Douglas, Toby Maguire, and Robert Downey Jr.
I bought WONDER BOYS at a point in my life that was the result of half a decade of slipping in and out of college, couch-hopping across the US in search of something I never found, and filling countless floppy disks with short stories, novels, and screenplays that went nowhere. In fact, I recently looked at this computer file. There appear to be as many words inside it as I have written in all the years since.
In short: I was completely lost.
But somewhere in the act of reading WONDER BOYS and spending so much time with its characters’ as they searched for direction, enlightenment arrived for me. By the time I clapped the book shut, it had stripped me of any excuses I still used to not trade my working-class youth for the arts.
One week later, I applied to the University of Michigan. Soon, I found myself in creative writing classes exactly like the one Chabon had depicted in WONDER BOYS. I didn’t necessarily learn how to write in these classes, but I did learn how to seek out and find my own voice, especially in a seminar run by author Peter Ho Davies (A LIE SOMEONE TOLD YOU ABOUT YOURSELF) — whom I’m lucky enough to now call a friend and occasional mentor. You can read one of my artist-on-artist conversations with him here.
More than two decades later, I’ve had screenplays produced (“DRACULA” from NBC/Sky, for one) and short stories and now a novel published. All because of a single book. Without WONDER BOYS. I would’ve probably ended up an accountant or office manager or something similar that would have been, for me, like a prison.
Books change lives. They sometimes save them, too. They did mine.
The Postman. I know, I know. The movie is terrible and nothing like the book. I read it as an early teen, shortly after I read 1984 and the two combined to shape how I saw politics. The book itself has some problems, but it definitely reinforced the communal tendencies in my own outlook and helped make me a raging sff fan/wannabe writer.
‘‘The Art of Asking’ by Amanda Palmer forever changed how I appreciate resourcefulness. She offers an insightful perspective on how artists find their voice and why it's essential to seek help during their creative journey. Palmer envisions a memorable moment where a young Bill Gates sits with his parents at dinner, asking to use the garage to develop code. In Palmer's book, we are reminded that cultivating community is a pre-requisite for us achieving our goals.
I haven't actually read Amanda's book, but I know the importance of this subject to her (something I wholeheartedly agree with) and I can also tell you we've been flirting with doing one of my artist-on-artist conversations together for a while now. I hope it finally comes together. Maybe I'll tap you for inspiration for a question or two!
Norwegian Wood - Tokyo Blues by Murakami for a lot of reasons. It's a book that deals with mental illnes, suicidal tendencies and love. I was 18 and my mind was in some dark places at the time. It helped me a lot and it was the first time I came to understand the importance of characters. It was them who hooked me from the first pages and kept me reading the book. I've never cried like that reading a book, neither before nor after.
Well, I'm glad you found the book when you did. I haven't been fortunate enough to read it yet, but you've given me yet another reason to try to find the time to do so. Thanks for sharing, my friend.
You're welcome, Cole. Tokyo Blues is a unique book in Murakami's bibliography. One of the few without magical realism. I'm really fond of his writing. One of his best collections of short stories "Blind Willow, Sleeping woman" was recently adapted into an animated movie and I recommend you to watch it. It's such a unique experience. But "Tony Takitani" as well or "Drive my car" are worth watching. Don't know if you've ever watched them.
The Postman. I know, I know. The movie is terrible and nothing like the book. I read it as an early teen, shortly after I read 1984 and the two combined to shape how I saw politics. The book itself has some problems, but it definitely reinforced the communal tendencies in my own outlook and helped make me a raging sff fan/wannabe writer.
The film is terrible, but I have very fond memories of the book. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for the prompt!
Without question, The Blind Watchmaker.
I had a private lunch with Richard Dawkins once, which I am only pointing out because this book made a huge impact on me, too.
I want details!
I wish I could give them. The lunch itself was something I had to promise not to discuss, as Richard is a very private man.
‘‘The Art of Asking’ by Amanda Palmer forever changed how I appreciate resourcefulness. She offers an insightful perspective on how artists find their voice and why it's essential to seek help during their creative journey. Palmer envisions a memorable moment where a young Bill Gates sits with his parents at dinner, asking to use the garage to develop code. In Palmer's book, we are reminded that cultivating community is a pre-requisite for us achieving our goals.
I haven't actually read Amanda's book, but I know the importance of this subject to her (something I wholeheartedly agree with) and I can also tell you we've been flirting with doing one of my artist-on-artist conversations together for a while now. I hope it finally comes together. Maybe I'll tap you for inspiration for a question or two!
Crossing my fingers that it happens and I'm happy to lend a hand.
Norwegian Wood - Tokyo Blues by Murakami for a lot of reasons. It's a book that deals with mental illnes, suicidal tendencies and love. I was 18 and my mind was in some dark places at the time. It helped me a lot and it was the first time I came to understand the importance of characters. It was them who hooked me from the first pages and kept me reading the book. I've never cried like that reading a book, neither before nor after.
Well, I'm glad you found the book when you did. I haven't been fortunate enough to read it yet, but you've given me yet another reason to try to find the time to do so. Thanks for sharing, my friend.
You're welcome, Cole. Tokyo Blues is a unique book in Murakami's bibliography. One of the few without magical realism. I'm really fond of his writing. One of his best collections of short stories "Blind Willow, Sleeping woman" was recently adapted into an animated movie and I recommend you to watch it. It's such a unique experience. But "Tony Takitani" as well or "Drive my car" are worth watching. Don't know if you've ever watched them.