The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works by William Shakespeare (Oxford, $40). Always at the top of my list. I’m partial to the Oxford, edited by Gary Taylor and Stanley Wells. This apparently bottomless well of invention, language, and humanity constantly inspires, refreshes, and challenges both my mind and heart. A lifetime companion. Not to mention, I’m an actor.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The Complete Poems by Elizabeth Bishop (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $15). Deep feeling contained by beautifully wrought form—Elizabeth Bishop’s poems are both moving and thought-provoking. I have always loved them.
Republic of Dreams: Greenwich Village—The American Bohemia, 1910–1960 by Ross Wetzsteon (Simon & Schuster, $20). Having recently moved back to New York City, my hometown, I took a bath in this entertaining 2002 history of the great Gotham bohemia. In 1914, Villagers were saying, “It’s not what it used to be!” When I started going down there as a teenager in the ’60s, it represented the terra incognita of freedom.
Thoughts Without a Thinker by Mark Epstein (Perseus, $15). Epstein explores the confluence of modern psychology and Buddhist philosophy in a clear and entertaining way. As a practitioner of both Buddhism and psychotherapy, he is in a unique position to speak from both perspectives. I found this book to be a real light on the path of my own inner journey.
Anything by John Ashbery—a favorite poet of mine. For an early sample, try Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror (Penguin, $16) or Houseboat Days (Farrar, Straus & Giroux, $13). For late work, there’s Where Shall I Wander (Ecco, $23), his most recent collection. Tubing down the mindstream of his exquisite sensibility, I encounter all the flotsam and jetsam of human experience. As a guide toward meaning, he points out the best views.
-
Beth Macy’s 6 favorite books about living in a divided nationFeature The journalist recommends works by Nicholas Buccola, Matthew Desmond, and more
-
Gilbert King’s 6 favorite books about the search for justiceFeature The journalist recommends works by Bryan Stevenson, David Grann, and more
-
Nathan Harris’ 6 favorite books that turn adventures into revelationsFeature The author recommends works by Kazuo Ishiguro, Ian McGuire, and more
-
Marisa Silver’s 6 favorite books that capture a lifetimeFeature The author recommends works by John Williams, Ian McEwan, and more
-
Lou Berney’s 6 favorite books with powerful storytellingFeature The award-winning author recommends works by Dorothy B. Hughes, James McBride, and more
-
Elizabeth Gilbert’s favorite books about women overcoming difficultiesFeature The author recommends works by Tove Jansson, Lauren Groff, and more
-
Fannie Flagg’s 6 favorite books that sparked her imaginationFeature The author recommends works by Johanna Spyri, John Steinbeck, and more
-
Jessica Francis Kane's 6 favorite books that prove less is moreFeature The author recommends works by Penelope Fitzgerald, Marie-Helene Bertino, and more
