His five most important books
All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. (Yes, I’ve read it - long time ago - some of the images are still in my head)
For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemingway. (Loved it, but again it was long ago. It’s a writing lesson in itself - introduced me to a new way of using language.)
High Water by Richard Bissell. (Don’t know this one.)
The Friends of Eddie Coyle by George V. Higgins. (Loved it. One of the best and most under-rated authors. Can do more with dialogue than anyone else I know.)
Legends of the Fall by Jim Harrison. (Don’t know this one either.)
For his reasons you have to skip on over to the Newsweek site.
If you enjoyed this post, subscribe to my RSS feed
Subscribe to posts
Jul 12th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Thanks for that John. While over on the Newsweek ste I checked out Patterson’s, Ondaatje’s and Wolfe’s lists too - very interesting. And, just being nosey, what are your 5 most important John? All the best.
jb says: Yes, I also checked out the others. I can’t face picking five, I’m afraid. Even picking fifty I’d be itchy wondering which ones I’d left out.
Jul 12th, 2007 at 5:44 pm
I enjoyed this too. Thanks.
jb says: Hi Robin. Good to see you here. I like your site.
Jul 13th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
I checked out the others’ too. Elmore Leonard’s always worth listening to. His ten rules for writers is worth reading up on too. of course, some rules are made to be broken, but these are pretty sound.
jb says: Hi Mark. The link to Leonard’s rules is here.