1.
John Updike - I own at least 5 of his books if not more. I have only read one short story of his called "
A&P" in high school.
2.
Joan Didion - I have a collection of excerpts from people's diaries or writing about writing in a diary. The book is called
Dear Diary and Ms. Didion's entry was one of the first ones I read. I own 4 of her books.
3.
Annie Dillard - Though I have since read
The Writing Life I discovered this author the same way as Didion. It was between these two authors that I started thinking of creative non-fiction and memoir as a serious genre. I own 3 of her books.
When I was in Australia I woman I met there loved
Jitterbug Perfume. I began reading her copy but had to return it before I made it much of the way through. I promptly visited every used bookstore in Northern Queensland I could and bought every one of his books I could find. Her word was enough. I own at least 6 of his books.
5.
Toni Morrison - I hear murmurs of this author everywhere I go. I have not even cracked open one of her books even though I own 6 of them.
6.
Maya Angelou - Since bringing this list into conception I started reading
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings and I am totally in love. Someone told me to read this book about 12 years ago, I never did. I own 3 of her books.
7.
Joyce Carol Oates -
When I was in high school I read
Winesburg, Ohio and ever since I have been obsessed with the word grotesque. Oates' book
The Collector of Hearts is a collection of short stories that got my mind winding around the idea again. I own 7 of her books.
8.
Tom Wolfe - Somewhere along the way I got it stuck in my head that the name Wolf in any form of the spelling signified good writing. I own 3 of his books.
9.
Thomas Wolfe - Confused by Tom and Thomas, I thought they were the same man. I also thought him the brother of Virginia and that they were a great writing family. I own 4 of his books.
10.
Virginia Woolf - Traditionally known as an amazing writer. She has a name associated with many great writers. :) I own 5 of her books.
11.
Dylan Thomas - Somehow I confused him in with the Wolfs. I own 4 of his books.
12.
Pat Conroy - I read an essay by him in
Why I Write and fell utterly in love. I began collecting his books. None of which I have read. I know I own 3 of his books.
13.
Edith Wharton - I listened to and loved her short story "
The Fulness of Life." Her name falls into the category of classics, so I must own, even if I don't read. I have 3 of her books.
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mqos_lit's journal
I am seriously stressed! My mom is coming tomorrow and this whole week I have not been able to relax. I have been trying to get the house perfection ready and figure out everything else. And it is just making me, well, 
stressed
who has since become one of the most banned authors in America. When Blume began writing she "wanted to write the best, the most honest books I could, the kind of books I would have liked to read when I was younger."
