Maira Kalman’s Book List 11 books and 1 comment
The authors I love tend to be lyrical and slightly absurd in one way or another. You could read any or all of the books by the authors listed. There are photographers you should look at—such as Diane Arbus and August Sander—who all have monographs. There are children’s book authors and illustrators that you should know—like Ludwig Bemelmans and William Steig.
But mainly, just read. That will show the way. Walk to a garden. Take a book with you, maybe a cup of coffee or tea. Just sit under a tree and read. That is the only answer to everything.
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11 books
None better. Logic. Mathematics. Madness. Screwball comedy. Hallucinatory magic. And wondrous everything.
Sebald combines dreamlike narrative with vague and haunting photographs. Read everything he has written.
Read everything Beckett wrote. Because if you understand the minimalism and despair of Beckett, you can create good work. And you can go on.
The tragedy. The grandness of the small. The tiny color phrases.
Elegance and humor. These are critical elements in doing anything.
Nabokov's memoir—from his early childhood in privileged Russian high society to his refugee days in Paris. Nabokov is my favorite writer. There is both rigorous precision and strange melancholy. And joy. And beauty. And humor.
All the people in Robert Walser’s books are mad—angry and insane—as are all of us.
Comments about Maira Kalman’s Book List
1 commentW.G. Sebald has been recommended to me before, but now that you recommend him, I will definitely read him. Your comment on Austen - 'Elegance and humor. These are critical elements in doing anything' is something I have taken to heart and I will remind myself of this daily.
Your books inspire and delight both me and my children. Thank you.
Also, I am sad that you are so dismissive of Twitter. I have met and connected with so many wonderful people there who I am sure I would not have met otherwise.