Books Recommended by Celebrities | Bedtime Favorite Books
10 Pillow Books Recommended by The New York Times: Clinton and Stephen King’s favorite books, you should read them too!
What do you do before going to bed every night? Will you put a book next to the bed, turn a few pages and turn off the lights?
The "By the book" column on the New York Times website throws this question out to a writer or celebrity every week, asking them to share their latest pillow book.
At the same time, "By the book" will also ask questions such as "What is the best book you've read?", "Which book you can't read after you start to read it?", "Which three books will you take with you?" Go to a deserted island?" Wait for the question.
Table of Contents
Books Recommended by Famous Personalities
We have compiled the ten best books for bedtime reading recommended by familiar interviewees. They are from novelists, illustrators, actors, commercial celebrities, and political figures.
Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton
This allows her, who receives a lot of information every day, to still easily report a long list of book titles. But which book impressed her the most?
The answer is "Brother Karamazov". "I was very young when I read this novel, and I plan to read another one in the summer to see what new experiences I have now."
The Brothers Karamazov
"Brothers Karamazov" passed a real father-killing case, describing the sharp conflict between the old Karamazov and his three sons, two generations. The old Karamazov was greedy and lustful, monopolizing the inheritance left by his wife to his sons, and was jealous of his eldest son Dmitri for a romantic woman.
One night, Dmitry was suspicious of his lover going on a tryst with the old man, so he broke into their home, and almost beat the old man to death in a rage.
After he fled in a hurry, the illegitimate son of Karamazov, who was hiding in secret and pretending to be sick, quietly killed the old man, causing a confusing murder that shocked all of Russia, and triggered a series of thrilling incidents.
Megyn Kelly
The bedtime books of this sharp woman also prefer biographies: such as David McCullough's "The Wright Brothers" and T.J. Styles' "The First Tycoon".
So, which book broke Megan Carey's heart and tears?
When Breath Becomes Air
Only one in ten thousand people in the world will develop lung cancer before the age of 36, and Paul Kalanithi is one of them. When you read this book, he is no longer alive. Paul has a dual degree in English Literature and Human Biology from Stanford University in the United States, a master's degree in the history of science and philosophy from Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, and a doctorate in medicine from Yale University in the United States with honors.
He will soon be awarded the post of professor of surgery at Stanford Medical School. Host his own research room. In 2013, Paul, who was about to reach the peak of his life, was suddenly diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer.
Since then, he began to record the rest of his life as a doctor and a patient, reflecting on medical treatment and human nature. His articles have been published in the "New York Times", "Washington Post" and other media, and have won global readers' attention.
This book is beautifully written and sincere and touching. It contains deep reflections on human nature, life and death, and medical care, which has moved countless readers around the world.
Richard Plepler
What books does HBO President Richard Pleple read before going to bed? He wanted to know how to make the smartest choice in the current political landscape, so he read "A Rage for Order" and "The Fractured Republic".
But what special book is on Richard's bookshelf? He will tell you that it is "John Cheever Tales", and every year, he has to turn it over several times.
The Stories of John Cheever
John Cheffer, a master of American novels, is especially known for his short stories. He is known as the "Chekhov of the Suburbs" and "the most important short story writer of the 20th century".
In addition to short stories, his novel creation has also achieved success. Brilliant. On April 27, 1982, just six weeks before his death, the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded Cheffer the National Literary Medal in recognition of his lifetime literary achievements.
Most of the thirteen short stories of John Cheever that have never been assembled were published in the 1930s. They belong to the early works of the author. The appearance is similar to the stylized Cheever that we are familiar with in the later period.
"Chekhov in the suburbs" has great contrast, and each novel bears the genius mark of a short story master, which is sharper and more varied in style than the later John Chekov.
Maria Abramovich
Performance artist Maria Abramović published a new autobiography "Walk Through Walls" at the beginning of the year.
She likes David Bohm's work "On Creativity". The book's interpretation of "creation" from a scientific point of view allowed her to discover more connections between art and science. No wonder, the bedtime reading of "Mother of Performance Art" is "Tesla: A Buried Genius" (Tesla, legendary physicist).
Which book can make Abu laugh? The answer is "Zizek's Joke" by Slovenian philosopher Slavoj Zizek.
Žižek's Jokes
A good joke is an excellent philosophy in itself. In this compact collection of jokes, Zizek takes out his best language assembly form, and introduces readers into his philosophical space with ease: he repeatedly plays with those trivial and funny paragraphs, analyzes the logic behind them, Use the absurdity of jokes to hedge certain common-sense structures or rational situations.
Through jokes, people will understand the ridiculousness of these situations, they are no longer necessarily reasonable, and even things that can be left behind. "Laughter, in this sense, is revolution."
Sting
Singer, former lead singer of the police band, Sting, is also the writer of the lyrics. He has one discovery: Many novels start with short songs or verses, and the best ones are like extensions of songs.
"Isn't "A Hundred Years of Solitude" a grand opera?" Sting's 2013 album The Last Ship was deeply influenced by it.
And the book that has the deepest influence on me is the work "The Master and Margarita" by the Russian writer Bulgakov.
The Master and Margarita
The master is an unknown writer, and his lover Margaret admires his talents and calls him a master, so he considers himself to be. The master wrote a novel about Pilate's trial of Jesus.
After being criticized, he burned the manuscript in horror and was admitted to a mental hospital. After the master disappeared, Margaret searched everywhere, met Satan's entourage, got rejuvenation, and regained her youth.
After experiencing many strange things, she finally rescued the master. Under the guidance of Satan, the souls of the master and Margaret crossed the Sparrow Hills in Moscow and flew to their eternal homeland.
Jesse Eisenberg
Last year, as a writer, he also published his first collection of short stories, "Eating Snapper Makes Me Hiccup", in which the humorous stories are hilarious.
One of Jesse's favorite books is "Legacy", a non-fictional work by writer Philip Rose.
Patrimony: A True Story
Good at weaving the epic of humanity in contemporary American literature with novels, the leader Philip Roth accidentally published a documentary work-"Legacy: A True Story" in 1991.
The focus of his eyes is no longer the vast social and grand propositions, but the father of Rose who has just passed away, an ordinary, humble old Jewish man. In the days before his death, his life was like a river soaked with trivial things, flowing half-clearly before him and his son, a writer.
The relationship between father and son has never been as close and unfamiliar as it is now. It is both flesh-and-blood and drifting away. When the life of a loved one enters the countdown, all the thoughts and torture, all the fear and sorrow, are compelling. Can't breathe—even if this person is Philip Rose, who is known for his grimness.
Herta Müller
The 2009 Nobel Prize winner Herta Miller released his new book "The Fox Was Ever the Hunter" in April last year.
What kind of book is this? Perhaps it can be seen from Hertha’s bedtime reading: The sad autobiography of the Israeli comedian "A Horse Walks Into a Bar" (horse pacing in the bar); the interpretation of Kafka's "The Person You're" Looking for Is Living Right Next Door: Reading Kafka." (The person you are looking for lives next door: Reading Kafka)...
Which book is of special significance to her herself? The answer is "Lowland".
The Lowland
The collection of short stories "Lowland" is Herta Miller's debut, with an autobiographical element. The collection of novels tells about the difficult rural life in Banat Swabian (mainly inhabited by Romanians of German origin).
From the perspective of children, it reflects the narrowness of people's spirit and the cruelty of daily life. After the novel was censored and abridged, it was published in Bucharest in 1982.
From the beginning of "Lowland", the author has used a monologue to tell her experience of growing up in this gloomy country.
Ian Faulkner
Illustrator Ian Faulkner is the author of many covers for The New Yorker Magazine, and he also created the image of the little pig Olivier (the little pig in the picture above) in the children's book "This Is Olivia".
Because of his busy work, he likes to read distracting books, such as "A Mencken Chrestomathy" by the bed and "The Oxford Book of Humorous Prose" by the toilet. ).
Which book about pigs is Ian's favorite? The answer is "Animal Farm".
Animal Farm
A group of animals on the farm under the leadership of the pigs brewed and successfully carried out a "revolution" that drove out the humans who oppressed the animals.
However, after the animals briefly tasted the taste of victory, they had to engage in more intensive labor than before and witnessed unprecedented scenes of cannibalism.
They can only seek spiritual comfort from their nominal mastery. Their leaders unknowingly usurped the fruits of the revolution and became more dictatorial rulers than human beings.
J. K. Rowling
 |
| Harry Potter |
She chose the Shakespeare Collection, Woodhouse Collection, and Colette Collection. No wonder, when asked which book she most wanted to be the protagonist in, Rowling replied without thinking it was Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice.
What is the best book to read in summer? JK Rowling recommended Madeleine Miller's "Song of Achilles."
The Song of Achilles: A Novel
Times Literature and Art Publishing House, May 2014
"The Song of Achilles" blends into Greek mythology with poignant words. It tells the intricate entanglement between gods and goddesses, kings and queens, immortal glory, and mortal love. It tells a love story three thousand years ago, writing Forbidden love.
The awkward prince Patroclus was exiled by his father when he was young because of a wrong-handed murder, and then he met another noble and perfect prince Achilles.
Although there was a huge difference between the two, Achilles became friends with the shameful prince. Achilles pitied Patroclus and listened to his loneliness and sorrow. The two shared their warmth and formed a love affair that was not acceptable to the world. War broke out in Troy.
According to the prediction of fate, the two-faced separation, but they vowed never to leave each other. Apart from going to Huangquan together, can they overcome everything and be with them forever?
Stephen Edwin King
When asked, "What book to read before going to bed?" Novelist Stephen King will tell you sincerely: He will not take a book to bed, and only a glass of water and a bottle of calcium will accompany him to sleep.
Jin said that he just likes direct novels, and is not interested in relationships and romance. "Speaking without any arrogance or prejudice, I never read Jane Austen."
So, would Kim feel embarrassed by admitting that he hadn't read a book? The answer is "Reminiscing about the years like water".
Remembrance of Things Past
The author of "Remembrance of Things Past" recalls the past in the book: childhood memories, family life, first and broken love, history... and so on.
"In fact, this world is unreal, at least it is unrecognizable because the world we see is always distorted by our own desires. The world is not one, but thousands;'
How many eyes are open every morning, How many people’s consciousness is awakened’, there are as many worlds as there are.
Therefore, what matters is not to live in and live for these illusions, but to find the lost paradise in our memory, the only real paradise."
Can reading before going to bed improve sleep?
Reading before going to bed, many people use it to help them fall asleep. However, reading not only helps sleep but also affects sleep.
There are two sides, there are advantages and disadvantages.
Benefits: From a health point of view, around 11 o'clock in the evening is the time for body function to recover. It is best to sleep. If you can't sleep, you should rest in bed. Reading in bed is easier to help you fall asleep, and the effect is much better than watching TV.
Disadvantages: If the book you read is very fascinating, the more you read it, the more exciting it becomes, and the more you read it, the more it looks like you will continue to read. You can't sleep like that!
Reading is a conscious activity that makes your brain nervous. In particular, once a book with a long story is read, it is easy to be attracted to a wonderful plot. The more you read, the more you cannot stop. Sleep requires a comfortable rest for the body and mind, and you cannot fall asleep in this state. I can't fall asleep while sleeping, and I struggle with various dreams.
Some people are used to putting books on pillows, but books are easily contaminated by dust and fibers. Especially in the dry season, the more books you put on the bed, the more muddy the air will be when you breathe.
The bedroom is the place to sleep, and only put things related to sleep in the bedroom. Listening to light music before going to bed can relax your brain and fall asleep quickly.
If you want to play with your phone before going to bed, please go to read. Playing with mobile phones is even more harmful.
Reading while lying down will cause faster vision loss
In the classroom-"stand up, step on the eyes and the book..." on the correct opening method. However, reading in bed often changes various postures. Same:
Lying position: holding a book in both hands, the shoulders are easy to fatigue, holding the book and putting it down is easier, the posture sometimes changes, lying down for a while, you lie on your side for a while, the distance between the eyes and the book will change the body posture. It moves repeatedly.
The human eye is like a camera that can automatically focus. When looking at nearby objects (such as reading a book), a series of adjustments must be made to make the eyes look "clear".
Time: If you look at things for a long time, the ciliary muscles, the lens, and the pupils of the eyes are prone to contract for a long time, prone to coordination cramps. Long-term recurring coordination cramps can lead to pseudomyopia and may further expand the diameter of the eyeball. And the formation of real myopia.
(Note: Avoid reading, especially reading on the side, because the angle of holding the book is limited when lying on the side. The distance to the nearest book is the most harmful to the eyes.)
Lighting: In addition, before going to bed, reading often turns off the lighting in the room, leaving only the lamp. The lighting of bedside lamps and desk lamps is different from that of front lamps.
Since the light is not projected directly from above or from above but emitted from the surface of the object, the light is usually difficult to meet the visual requirements, so the eyes do not feel sharp and comfortable, which is a burden on the eyes. Increase.
The MSN Health Network in the United States published an article in 2011, saying that reading before going to bed not only affects sleep but also harms health. Do not use your eyes for 10 minutes before going to bed and try to rest completely.
Life is very busy and time is precious. Reading takes time, but it needs to be divided into several situations. In addition to reading, you can do many things before going to bed, for example, close your eyes, rest, lie in bed, exercise your eyes and damp a hot towel on your eyes to reduce visual fatigue.
