Marisha Pessl’s Bedside Table
The author of Neverworld Wake shares her tbr pile with us
Marisha Pessl is the New York Times bestselling author behind Special Topics in Calamity Physics and Night Film. She recently dove into the world YA with Neverworld Wake, published earlier this year.
Marisha’s favorite part about writing is building a world from scratch.
For her, writing is a meditation, a brutal trek through the wilderness, and a magic trick all at once.
When she’s not writing, Marisha can be found exploring Manhattan with her family and of course: reading. Find Marisha’s books at Strand in-store and online.
Here are her Bedside Table picks:
All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg
From the New York Times best-selling author of The Middlesteins comes a wickedly funny novel about a thirty-nine-year-old single, childfree woman who defies convention as she seeks connection.
Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
In this brilliantly imagined novel, Toni Morrison follows the life of Macon “Milkman” Dead III, an African-American man living in Michigan.
The Member of the Wedding by Carson McCullers
Carson McCullers’s classic is the story of the inimitable twelve-year-old Frankie, who is utterly, hopelessly bored with life until she hears about her older brother’s wedding.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
From the worldwide bestselling author of Eat Pray Love: the path to the vibrant, fulfilling life you’ve dreamed of.
A Murder is Announced by Agatha Christie
A Murder is Announced in a small-town newspaper advertisement — and Miss Marple must unravel the fiendish puzzle when a crime does indeed occur.
The Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey
Inspector Alan Grant of Scotland Yard, recuperating from a broken leg, becomes fascinated with a contemporary portrait of Richard III that bears no resemblance to the Wicked Uncle of history.
Good Behaviour by Molly Keane
Behind the gates of Temple Alice the aristocratic Anglo-Irish St Charles family sinks into a state of decaying grace.
The Complete Poems: Anne Sexton by Anne Sexton
From the joy and anguish of her own experience, Sexton fashioned poems that told truths about the inner lives of men and women.
Changing My Mind by Zadie Smith
Split into five sections — Reading, Being, Seeing, Feeling, and Remembering — Changing My Mind finds Zadie Smith casting an acute eye over material both personal and cultural.
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin
A lone human ambassador is sent to Winter, an alien world without sexual prejudice, where the inhabitants can change their gender whenever they choose.
