100 Knopf, or The Big Anniversary in Book Land

Back when I was a bookseller contemplating making the leap to publisher sales rep, a huge factor in making that decision could be summed up simply as "Alfred A. Knopf." Knopf, simply, is one of the greatest publishing houses in the world and I love just about everything Knopf publishes. 2015 is the Year of Knopf, the 100th anniversary of the founding of the venerable press, so we're offering 100 titles that exemplify what makes Knopf great.

First, let's set the scene:

Feeling inspired to dive into great books yet? Good. Let's get started.

1. Sula by Toni Morrison, originally published in 1974. The story of two friends, this is my favorite of Morrison's books and the one I reread most often. Nel and Sula grow up together, the prim and proper good girl and the child with no inhibitions, sharing comic moments, dark secrets, loyalty, and then betrayal. Morrison's novel captures the intensity of best friends as well as the potential for pain that comes from loving another person. All of the elements that made Morrison a Nobel Prize Winner are on display in this masterpiece--beautiful writing, eccentric characters, passion, pain, and that feeling that you're reading something profound that requires thought and discussion.

2. An Unquiet Mind by Kay Redfield Jamison, originally published in 1995. I am not bipolar, but I am far too introspective and obsessed with my mind, so of course I've read Jamison's classic memoir of her struggle with bipolar disorder. This book is a landmark example of how to write a personal narrative that transcends one's own particular story, and in reading about her struggle and work with mental illness, I found greater compassion for myself and others. I highly recommend all of Dr. Jamison's works, but definitely start here.

3. Hiroshima by John Hersey, originally published in 1946. What did the first nuclear weapon do to the people and city where it was utilized? Note the date--Hersey was interviewing people who survived the atomic blast of Little Boy just after it was dropped and the war ended. I'm fascinated by the impact of nuclear weapons on the world in the last seventy years, and Hersey's book is critical reading for understanding a nuclear world.

4. The Narrow Road to the Deep North by Richard Flanagan, originally published in 2014. Last year's Man Booker Prize winner is a novelistic wonder. Set mostly in a Japanese POW camp during World War II, Flanagan combines the struggle of POW Dorrigo Evans as he struggles to survive and keep his fellow POW's alive in increasingly horrifying conditions while building the Burmese railroad. The narrative jumps to contemporary Australia and to before the war when Dorrigo was in love with a girl before shipping out; it shows the humanity and inhumanity of the POW's as well as their Japanese captors. When I read this novel last year, I remember thinking "THIS is why I love working with books and with Knopf."

4 down, 96 to go. 

An Author a Day for Thirty Days: Day 26

Gianna is on vacation in Florida, so I feel a bit liberated to say whatever I want on the blog post today. Like, have I ever mentioned that Gianna has this habit of sending me pictures of wildlife and beg me for identification? I think she's under the impression that I'm a nature expert. Also, she's scared of bugs. Do you see what sort of hell I live in?

Anyway, as for my author of the day, today I thought I'd talk about Kay Redfield Jamison. Jamison, a psychologist, is one of the most eloquent writers in that profession, and her books offer incisive examinations of topics like creativity and mental illness (Touched With Fire) and suicide (Night Falls Fast).


Jamison is best known for her memoir, An Unquiet Mind. Before everyone wrote a memoir of their mental illnesses, there was An Unquiet Mind. Kay Redfield Jamison began suffering manic episodes while in college, but even though she was studying mood disorders and psychology, she didn't recognize her own condition. After securing a faculty position at UCLA, though, she suffered a complete psychotic break. Jamison details her struggles with a condition that threaten her professionally and personally. She loses a husband, and she is at risk of losing her clearance to work in the research facilities that drive her professionally. This was in the early 70's, mental illness was even more stigmatized than it is today, and she was also a woman in a male-dominated profession. She talks about her suicidal moments and the struggle to stay on her medication when the allure of the manic high lurks. Her book is full of courage, beautiful writing, and wisdom, and this book challenged the public perception about mental illness.

Kay Redfield Jamison's latest book is Nothing Was the Same. When Jamison's husband Richard, a scientist, dies from cancer, she is thrown into an all-consuming grief. Her husband had been her support when she'd suffered both manic highs and lows, and he'd inspired her and loved her and challenged her. The guy was super-smart, kind, and loving. He would have squashed Gianna's bug for her. Without him, Jamison must cope with the void of losing a loved one and fight the darkness to which she's particularly susceptible. Again, Jamison blends her professional knowledge and personal experiences to provide insights into the grief that most people will endure at some point in their lives. I read this book shortly after my mother died, and while I have never known the loss of a spouse, I still found that her grief related to what I was experiencing. She's an incredible writer and wise counselor and I admire her greatly.