Before Louise Erdrich, Jennifer Egan, T.C. Boyle, and Jonathan Lethem became revered authors, they were readers. In this tribute to libraries and bookstores, America's favorite librarian Nancy Pearl and playwright Jeff Schwager interview a diverse range of America's most notable and influential writers about the books that shaped them and inspired them to leave their own literary mark. Illustrated with beautiful line drawings, this valentine to books includes contributions from Russell Banks, Michael Chabon, Donna Tartt, Susan Choi, Dave Eggers, Siri Hustvedt, Richard Ford, Ayeet Waldman, and Luis Alberto Urrea.