Read a Book Day

This Friday, September 6, is Read A Book Day. We aren’t just writers, we’re readers too. As we’ve expanded our writing horizons, we’ve attended writer’s conferences and have had the pleasure of hearing many amazing, well-known authors.

Here are some of our favorites, authors whom we’ve had the pleasure of hearing and in some cases meeting.

• David McCullough. We’ve heard him speak several times and one year ventured to the Library of Congress National Book Festival on the National Mall in Washington, DC. Even though it was a hot, humid day, it was a pleasure to meet him at the book signing. We both read his latest book, The Pioneers, and it’s excellent.
• David Baldacci. We heard him speak at a writer’s conference in New York City.  Who knew he was so funny and such an entertaining speaker.  His latest book is One Good Deed.
• Harlan Corbin.  When we heard him speak, we were relieved to learn that even very successful authors do multiple (pick a number) edits.  Good. It isn’t just us.  His most recent book is Run Away.
• Richard Russo.  He shared with the writers in the audience the idea they could  finish one book and then start the next book the following day. What a challenge.  Some of his books that are our favorites are The 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning Empire Falls and his latest book, The Destiny Thief.
• Hallie Ephron. Yes, Nora Ephron was her sister.  Hallie taught us that when it comes to backstory, you layer it in. If you’re not familiar with her work, pick up a copy of Careful What You Wish For.

Since we write business books, we read those as well. Some we suggest are:

• Seven Habits of Highly Effective People - Steven Covey
• First, Break all the Rules - Marcus Buckingham
• Good to Great - Jim Collins
• Lean In - Sheryl Sandberg
• Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking - Susan Cain
• Outliers - Malcolm Gladwell
• The Essays of Warren Buffett - Warren Buffett and Lawrence A. Cunningham
• Emotional Intelligence - Daniel Goleman 
• A Curious Mind - Brian Grazer and Charles Fishman

Take some time this Friday to pick up a book.  Explore some good reads for the upcoming months.  And as you’re on that journey, we hope you’ll include one or more of our books.