As avid readers, we love a good book recommendation, especially from people we admire. In our new interview series, we’re talking with other bibliophiles to learn more about why they read, what they’re reading now and so much more. We kicked it off with Sam, and this week we’re asking our founder and creative director, Taylor Sterling, things like her reading routine, her book recommendations and what authors she wants to grab a drink with.
If you had to write the author bio for your imaginary book jacket, what would it say?
“Taylor Sterling is a connoisseur of statement socks, never leaves the house without lip balm, and is turned on by good book recommendations. She lives in California.”
What’s your earliest memory of falling in love with a book?
I have the worst memory. It bothers me. I’m sure buried deep in this brain of mine there is a book that lit my fire early on, but I have zero recollection of it. The book I can remember off-hand is The Night Before Christmas by Clement C. Moore and illustrated by Gyo Fujikawa. I salivated with my eyes (is that a thing?) over the spread where the kids sleep with visions of sugar plums and tasty treats over their heads.
(source)
What types of books are you drawn to?
This is what I wrote about my favorite type of books in a recent post:
I gravitate toward books that give me the feeling of delightfully staring at an open wound while pouring hydrogen peroxide over it: watching it fizzle and pop — a strangely meditative experience of pain, mystery and questionable satisfaction.
I’ll leave it at that.
What are 3 books you think Glitter Guide readers should read and why?
- This is cheating, but I’m going to say anything by Toni Morrison. I have a goal to read as many of her books as I can this year. I just finished The Bluest Eye — her first book — and unsurprisingly, I was in awe of how devastatingly beautiful it is.
- The Seas by Samantha Hunt: Undoubtedly a great book, but it may not be to everyone’s taste. It’s a slim novel about a sad teenage girl who lives in a little seaside town. She believes she’s a mermaid. She is dreadfully in love with a man and has a complicated relationship with her dead father. It’s poetic, atmospheric and plain weird. I loved it.
- The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino: This book is pure delight. Everyone should read it to experience the magic of Calvino and to enjoy his humorous and whimsical storytelling.
What was the last book you read?
Want by Lynn Steger Strong: Everyone raved about this book, but I didn’t love it. I thought it was alright, but it lacked something for me. I’m still trying to sort out what that lack was.
If you were to write your memoir, what would the title be?
The Book I Never Wanted To Write
How do you like to organize your books?
I don’t. Do messy stacks count?
Paperback, hardcover, digital or audio?
I don’t discriminate. I like them all for different reasons, but my first choice is a paperback: easy, lightweight, approachable.
What literary character has stuck with you long after you finished the book?
Pippi Longstocking. She showed me that it’s OK to be weird, ambitious and to question authority.
Do you have any favorite local bookstores?
I love Green Apple Books in San Francisco. It has a fantastic selection of new and used books. I could spend hours in there (and have!).
Do you have a preferred setting or any rituals when you read?
These days, I take what I can get. I even read while bathing my kids — it’s not as relaxing as it sounds. Perfect would be lounging on a blanket under a tree or cozy in a reading nook while it’s raining.
Which 3 authors would you like to have a drink with?
- Haruki Murakami
- Emily Dickinson
- Marguerite Duras
What is currently on your TBR pile?
More books than I’ll ever feasibly get through, but Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust (translated by Lydia Davis) is one I want to get to this year!
