2008 Woodie Awards
Authors provoke emotion with talented works
Benjamin Billman
Issue date: 10/11/07 Section: Intermission
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It takes a skill to write with true ability and magic. To make words float off the page, hover in the air before the reader and dance and entice the reader into their fantasy world. That takes something special.
Call it skill, artistry, luck, ability or whatever you want, but there is something in a good author's brain, fingers, eyes and mouth that allows them to put their feelings on paper, rather than demonstrate it through words.
Why do I say this?
I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually read a book and felt the author's feelings while reading it. If one more book comes along, I'm going to need another hand, but for now, that one hand thing preserves my macho feelings.
In order of intensity, here are those five books.
"Second Glance" by Jodi Picoult
Not only did I begin reading this book at 10:15 one night, thinking to read a chapter or two before going to sleep (I finished it at 3:30 a.m.), it was also a book I didn't think I was going to like.
It's not something I normally read, and unless something drastic happens, I probably won't be reading it, or any other book by Picoult, anytime soon. It was just that tugging.
"Redwall" by Brian Jacques
The first time I read this book, I sobbed. I was 12, sure, and I was also sick. I've read the book innumerable times since then and not cried once, but it happened that one time.
"Star by Star" by Troy Denning ("Star Wars, New Jedi Order")
I've read several books by Denning, and they aren't all that good in my opinion. However, he seems to have caught a lyrical bullet with this book, and fired it straight into my brain. It has one of the best death scenes I've ever read.
One of the things I've always liked about the "Star Wars" books is they have different authors. These authors range from Denning to such fantasy greats as R.A. Salvatore and Elaine Cunningham and more. The best part about these books is all of these authors grew up during a time when the original "Star Wars" movies were released.
Call it skill, artistry, luck, ability or whatever you want, but there is something in a good author's brain, fingers, eyes and mouth that allows them to put their feelings on paper, rather than demonstrate it through words.
Why do I say this?
I can count on one hand the number of times I've actually read a book and felt the author's feelings while reading it. If one more book comes along, I'm going to need another hand, but for now, that one hand thing preserves my macho feelings.
In order of intensity, here are those five books.
"Second Glance" by Jodi Picoult
Not only did I begin reading this book at 10:15 one night, thinking to read a chapter or two before going to sleep (I finished it at 3:30 a.m.), it was also a book I didn't think I was going to like.
It's not something I normally read, and unless something drastic happens, I probably won't be reading it, or any other book by Picoult, anytime soon. It was just that tugging.
"Redwall" by Brian Jacques
The first time I read this book, I sobbed. I was 12, sure, and I was also sick. I've read the book innumerable times since then and not cried once, but it happened that one time.
"Star by Star" by Troy Denning ("Star Wars, New Jedi Order")
I've read several books by Denning, and they aren't all that good in my opinion. However, he seems to have caught a lyrical bullet with this book, and fired it straight into my brain. It has one of the best death scenes I've ever read.
One of the things I've always liked about the "Star Wars" books is they have different authors. These authors range from Denning to such fantasy greats as R.A. Salvatore and Elaine Cunningham and more. The best part about these books is all of these authors grew up during a time when the original "Star Wars" movies were released.