TRENDING NEWS ENTERTAINME NT FOOD & DRINK PETS SHOPPING HEAL THY NOW HOME BEST READS ON PARADE BOOK PICKS SEE MOREJane Smiley–Author of New Novel 'Lucky'–Reveals e One Book She Reads Over and Over Plus, her other favorite books—including the series she loved as a child.</p><p> MICHAEL GILTZ • MAY 1, 2024 Jane Smiley shares some of her favorite books, including the ones that got her reading , the best book she ever got as a gift, her college obsession and the book she’s rereading that should be more famous.</p><p> Jane Smiley is the Pulitzer Prize winning author of A Thousand Acres, the Last Hundred Y ears trilogy and other acclaimed, best-selling works.</p><p> Smiley’s latest novel is Lucky, the story of a singer-songwriter named Jodie who shoots to fame during the era of all those other “Js,” like Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, Joan Baez and James Taylor.</p><p> In our feature story about Smiley’s new book, she talked abou t getting her own record player when she was a teenager, listening to all that classic music of that era over and over again.</p><p> Lucky by Jane Smiley Lucky by Jane Smiley ($29; Knopf) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org Author Jane Smiley on Her 6 Favorite Books Just as Smiley likely cherished copies of Joni Mitchell’s Blue and the Beatles’ Revolver, she also holds close to her heart certain books.</p><p> Here are some of her favorites. e Bobbsey Twins In And Out by Laura Lee Hope The rst series was The Bobbsey Twins.</p><p> Those were the ones that got me reading , and the Nancy Drew ones were the ones that got me interested in plot as well as character.</p><p> The Bobbsey Twins In And Out by Laura Lee Hope ($5.99; SMK Books) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org Related: Stacy Schi – Th e Historian Behind TV's "Franklin"–Shares Seven Favorite Books e World Book Encyclopedia by World Book Smiley once said the best book she ever received as a gift was The World Book Encyclopedia set.</p><p> Did she devour it from start to nish like the character Encyclopedia Brown? She certainly tried. “It was a multi-volume set, said Smiley. “I was about eight.</p><p> My mom shelved it in my room, on the bottom shelf of the bookcase.</p><p> When the sun was up, I would sit cross- legged on the rug and read as much as I could.</p><p> The World Book Encyclopedia 22 Volume Set by World Book ($1,199; World Book Inc) Buy now on Amazon Horse by Geraldine Brooks Smiley has called this novel by Brooks a “revelation” and the best horse book she’s ever read, “including all of my own.” Her recommendation is all the more notable since Smiley has a lifelong fascination with horses and books about them.</p><p> She’s written eight young adult novels and a non ction book centering around horses. “I've enjoy ed a lot of Dick Francis mysteries,” says Smiley. “I learned a lot from True Horsemanship Through Feel by Bill Dorrance and Leslie Desmond. (The Dorrance brothers were from our region and taught a lot of trainers around here.) When I was young, I read horse books by Dorothy Lyons, and especially loved Silver Birch.</p><p> I think I read Black Beauty over and over, but it always made me sad.</p><p> Horse by Geraldine Brooks ($19; Penguin Books) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org e Sagas Of Icelanders by Various Authors; introductions by Jane Smiley and Robert Kellogg Smiley remembers wrestling with her rst “adult” books in grade school and high school and then becoming obsessed with an entire genre in college. “We read Oliver Twist in 7th grade, and I found it very hard to unders tand– same with Julius Caesar (we read a Shakespeare play every year),” said Smiley. “I gradually got to enjoy them, especially David Copper eld in 9th grade and Hamlet in, I think, 10th grade.</p><p> We were not assigned Jane Austen or George Eliot, but I read those on my own, and learned a lot. “The books that inspired me in college were Our Mutual Friend, The Canterbury Tales, and Beowulf.</p><p> Then I discovered the Icelandic Sagas and became obsessed.</p><p> I think struggling with Dickens and Shakespeare in junior high was my form of education–I had to gure out something, so I tried as hard as I could.” The Sagas Of Icelanders by Various Authors; introductions by Jane Smiley and Robert Kellogg ($28; Penguin Classics) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org Related: Th e One Book Author Lisa Grunwa ld Can't Wait for Her Kids to *Finally* Read Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens Nothing sparks an argument among English majors quite like asking them who is better: Dickens or Trollope? “I love both of them equally,” says Smiley diplomatically. “I think that Trollope is a master of the psychology of daily life–I call him the Lord of Ambiguity.</p><p> He explores the inner lives of his characters in detail, but also with plenty of plot, so I never lose interest.</p><p> My favorite is He Knew He Was Right, because the two parallel protagonists show how some people learn to change and others cannot. “I think Dickens is great with plot and character,” said Smiley. “He explores social and political di erences beautifully and I love the way he includes all sorts of English classes and ways of speaking in all of his books.” Our Mutual Friend by Charles Dickens ($13; Modern Library) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org e Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford Finally , there's one book you really must read by Ford Madox Ford.</p><p> Set just before World War I, it captures the tangled and emotional love lives of two couples on a tour of the spas of Europe.</p><p> It's sophisticated, moving, very modern and lives up to Ford's description of it as "the saddest story I have ever heard." Smiley returns to it again and again. "I just nished rereading Pride and Prejudice,” said Smiley. “And I'm about to start rereading The Good Soldier.</p><p> The rst one is very famous, and the second one ought to be." The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford ($6.99; Wordsworth Classics) Buy now on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bookshop.org Books To Kill For: Parade Picks e 30 Best Serial Killer Titles Of All Time Read MoreBook cover courtesy of Knopf; author photo copyright by Derek Shapton Future-Proof Your Supply Chain with AI and Automation By SAPSPONSORED CONTENTContent continues below Courtesy of Knopf Content continues below Courtesy of SMK Books Content continues below Content continues below Courtesy of World Book Content continues below Courtesy of Penguin Books Content continues below Content continues below Courtesy of Penguin Classics Content continues below Courtesy of Modern Library Content continues below Courtesy of Wordsworth Classics Sponsored Stories Here Are 23 of the Coolest Gifts for This 2024 23 Insanely Cool Gadgets You'll Regret Not Getting Before They Sell Out Trending Gadgets | SponsoredDermatologist Says Do Not Buy Regular Bedsheets, Here's Why After testing dozens of bedsheets, these are #1. thegrannyblog.com | Sponsored This Coin Helps Keep Your Drinking Water CleanThis Wine Advent Calendar Is the Perfect Early Holiday…Tim Mc Gr aw Takes Surprising Political Stance Amid…Italian Court Overturns Amanda Knox's Acquitta l in Mu rder Case Ma c Users Didn't Know This Simple Trick To Block All Ads (Do It Now) Safe Tech Tips | SponsoredNeurologists Ba ed by This Revolutionary Shoe Barefoot Vitality | Sponsored Urologist Urges Seniors With A Leaky Bladder To Do This Every Mo rning Millions of seniors su ering from incontinence and a leaky bladder are doing this. thegrannyblog.com | SponsoredNew arrivals Unbeatable Prices on Quality Products temu.com | Sponsored BOOK PICKS e 16 Best New Book e 16 Best New Book Releases is Week: Nov. 26- Releases is Week: Nov. 26- Dec. 2, 2024 Dec. 2, 2024BOOK PICKS e 24 Best New Book e 24 Best New Book Releases is Week: Nov. 19- Releases is Week: Nov. 19- 25, 2024 25, 2024BOOK PICKS How To Read John Grisham’s How To Read John Grisham’s 56 Book s in Order 56 Book s in Order BOOK PICKS e 25 Best New Book e 25 Best New Book Releases is Week: Nov. 12- Releases is Week: Nov. 12- 18, 2024 18, 2024BOOK PICKS Good reads And Parade Pick Good reads And Parade Pick 26 Book s For Native 26 Book s For Native American Month American MonthBOOK PICKS e 22 Best New Book e 22 Best New Book Releases is Week: Nov. 5-11, Releases is Week: Nov. 5-11, 20242024 © 2024 THE ARENA MEDIA BRANDS, LLC PARADE IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ATHLON SPORTS COMMUNICATIONS, INC.</p><p> SITE MAPABOUT PARADECONTACT USTERMS OF USEPRIVACY POLICY 0:14/ 0:15 Skip Ad CLOSE✕
