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This is my bookshelf.
Here is a snippet of what’s on it, ten at a time.
Linden Hills (1985) by Gloria Naylor
Mama Day (1988) by Gloria Naylor
The Women of Brewster Place (1982) by Gloria Naylor
Fire in the Blood (2007) by Irène Némirovsky
Suite Française (2004) by Irène Némirovsky
The Time Traveler’s Wife (2003) by Audrey Niffenegger
Bellefleur (1980) by Joyce Carol Oates
Blonde (2000) by Joyce Carol Oates
Do With Me What You Will (1973) by Joyce Carol Oates
Them (1969) by Joyce Carol Oates
If you haven’t yet read Gloria Naylor, you must. Start with The Women of Brewster Place and then move on from there to her other novels. She is an amazing author.
Irène Némirovsky died in Auschwitz in 1942. She published many books during her lifetime, but the two I have on my shelf are recently rediscovered manuscripts of hers that have since been published.
And, as you can see, I’m a fan of Joyce Carol Oates. I’ve read many of her novels, and I even wrote her a letter once. She never responded, but now that she’s on Twitter, I could technically tweet at her if I wanted to. Her tweets are entertaining and hilarious, unlike her dark and serious novels. However, like her novels, her tweets are thoughtful and thought-provoking.
Have you read any of these?
The Bookshelf of Emily J. 
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Thanks!
So many great books!!! 🙂
Thanks! 🙂
Reblogged this on KENYONA R. COPELAND.
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Yes ma’am!
I’ve read a few Némirovsky novels, including both of the books on your shelf. I love her writing and I wish I spoke French so I could read her books in the original.
Have you seen the movie version of Suite Française? I wanted to see it when it was being shown at my local cinema, but I didn’t get around to it so I’m waiting for the DVD.
I read The Time Traveler’s Wife a few years ago. I enjoyed the book and found parts of it very moving, but I didn’t like the movie adaptation.
Agreed. I didn’t like the movie version of The Time Traveler’s Wife either. I have not seen the movie version of Suite Francaise, but now I want to!
I love The Timetraveler’s Wife. One of my favorites.
It is a really fun book! I loved it too.
I wasn’t thrilled by Némirovsky. There was something about the snobbishness of her characters that irritated me. However, I loved The Time Traveler’s Wife.
Interesting. I can see that. And yeah, The Time Traveler’s Wife was really really fun.
I don’t know. Maybe I didn’t give Nemirovsky enough time. I just didn’t like the attitude projected and quit reading it.
Did you read the complete trilogy or just the first one? I didn’t even know there was more than one!
Gosh, I don’t know. Now you are making me wonder. I’ll have to check that.
The cover you showed was for the trilogy. That’s why I asked, because when I looked it up in Goodreads, I couldn’t figure out which book it was.
Oh. Maybe it is the trilogy. I need to climb up there and get it down, but I’m too lazy today. 😉
I saw Audrey N. do a reading in Chicago as part of the AWP festival, and she was just wonderful. I always thought she wrote cheesy genre lit based on the trailer for the movie of The Time Traveller’s Wife, but she’s the real literary deal! A smart, thoughtful writer.
Oddly enough, Joyce Carol Oates is always considered literary, but I’ve read quite a bit of her stuff that seemed like very light reading–squishy romance, almost, like Because It Is Bitter And Because It Is My Heart. I mean, come on, even that title!
How cool to see Niffenegger in person. And yes, Oates’s more recent work has seemed to be more mainstream and less literary. Her earlier work I would say is what established her as “literary.” She has also experimented with different, older styles, like gothic romance. I still like her. 🙂
I’ve read Mama Day and the Women of Brewster place. A good friend of mine did her PhD thesis on Joyce Carol Oates’s short fiction, and at the time I read some of her stories (and some of my friend’s work too) but haven’t read many of her novels. Must add some to my to read list. She and I had similar problems as both our authors were so prolific it was difficult to catch up.
It IS hard to catch up with prolific authors. A great book-lover’s problem to have! Oates’s short fiction would make a great dissertation.
I have still not read a book by Joyce Carol Oates. I plan to, and I think I own a couple of them, I just haven’t yet. I really should add Gloria Naylor to the list, as well!
Yes, I would put Naylor above Oates. Oates is one of my favorites, but I realize that she’s not for everybody. Naylor is more accessible and probably more meaningful in some ways.
I think this is a first: I haven’t read any of these!
Oh wow! That is a first. You should read some of them. 🙂
Like Jay E., I believe this is the first time I have not actually read any of these! 🙂 I own several though… 😦 I have Gloria Naylor on my TBR, and like Naomi, have yet to read Joyce Carol Oates! Yikes!! Too little time… 🙂
There’s never enough time! I am getting hardly any reading done lately and it is really depressing.
I cannot imagine how you manage to keep your books in that way! Mine are like all open at once.
Ha! I tend to have many more messy piles around the house, and, like you, books that are open and half read everywhere. It is a bit of a problem.
I’ve read Suite Francaise (and reviewed it for my blog) I liked it, she packs a lot in with few words. Not sure if I’d read any more of hers though (too many books, not enough time). I think I will check out the movie but with low expectations
I agree. I liked Suite Francaise too, but it was a bit of a slow, deep read.
I love me some of Emily J. Petersen’s blog! I hope you can check out the interview I did with her, she talks about writing and her love for it =) https://kenyonakccopeland.wordpress.com/the-writers-interview-corner/interview-with-emily-j-petersen/
🙂 I’m going to reblog it on my site today.
Awesome! I’ll be blogging about it all week =)
Never read any of them.
Now you can add to your list.
good books and great photography! I really like your blog!
Thank you!
I just wanted to say that I love your blog. I love seeing your books and I totally respect how you reply to all those who post comments. No reply needed to this one. Just wanted to say – I am a fan!
You are very kind! I love interacting with everybody, so replying is not an obligation. It is fun!
I haven’t read any of these but I’m having fun looking them all up on goodreads and adding several to my list.
…and I meant to ask, which Joyce Carol Oats would you recommend for a first time JCO reader?
Hmmmm. I guess I would say Blonde. It can be raunchy and a little uncouth, so if that stuff doesn’t bother you, read it. I love how it is historical fiction and how much detail Oates writes of Marilyn Monroe’s life, even if it is fiction. I’ve read that one twice and loved it both times. However, if her novels don’t appeal, then try some of her short stories. Her most famous is “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” That is worth a read as well!
Thanks! I look those up.
Keep it up.
Simply great.
Thank you.
How different is the novel of the time traveler’s wife from the film? Also which do you prefer (if you have watched the movie) x
I can’t remember what differences they have, since it has been a while, but I, of course, prefer the book!
I read “Because It Is Bitter, and Because It Is My Heart” by Oates and it made me want to devour everything else she’s written. I also enjoyed her short story collection “Haunted.” Such a great author!
I agree. Her work is like that!