'84 Charing Cross Road’ by Helene Hanff
This classic is a collection of letters exchanged between Helene Hanff, a book lover in America and Frank Doel of Marks & Co., a book seller in England, over a period of twenty years. By turns, humorous, entertaining, and informative, it reveals the unbreakable bonds that a shared love for books and reading form between people across continents. This has also been made into a movie starring Anne Bancroft, Anthony Hopkins, and Judi Dench.
‘Ex-Libris; Confessions of a Common Reader’ by Anne Fadiman
In this delightful collection of eighteen essays Anne Fadiman reveals her love for books, reading and also fountain pens. This slim volume has eighteen essays written in a language that will resonate with those who care about books, reading and the reading life. It is a little gem that is a must for every bibliophile.
‘On Writing’ by Stephen King
In this book Stephen King, the master of dark thrillers, who has written scores of bestselling books so far, talks about writing and everything behind it. Written in a chatty style, it is sure to inspire all those interested in writing. In a way this book helped me begin my novel that I finished recently.
‘Summing Up’ by Somerset Maugham
This memoir by one of the greatest writers in the world tells us how he learnt to write and became a writer. In this book, divided into short sections, Maugham tells what it takes to be a writer, and how a writer goes about his craft. If you plan to write, then you ought to read this book.
The Groaning Shelf’ by Pradeep Sebastian
This hefty volume is a collection of more than fifty articles that appeared in a column in a popular daily. These columns helped me in my own book collecting. The articles in the book deal with various aspects of book collecting, reading, first editions, and a lot more. It is a beautiful hard bound volume that every bibliophile must have on their bookshelf.