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Books on the Nightstand published our final episode in July 2016. This is a place for listeners to find old episodes. 

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  2. BOTNS #243: Do Readers Have to Be Collectors?

BOTNS #243: Do Readers Have to Be Collectors?

Aug 13, 2013

Michael Crichton's pseudonym revealed. Can you be a reader without being a collector? Bookish love for The People in the Trees and Night Film.

Another Author Pseudonym Revealedzero cool

Hard Case Crime, publisher of very cool pulp paperbacks, has just announced that they will be publishing 8 early Michael Crichton novels, books the author published, while he was still in Med School, under the pseudonyn John Lange. Ann and I discuss the use of pseudonyms, and how some authors use them today to differentiate between the different genres in which they write. I, for one, can't wait to read these new/old Michael Crichton books when they are released in October (exact dates to be announced).

Can You Be a Reader and Not a Collector? (7:42)

We recently got a question online, though we can't remember where the question came from. (More reason to use our Ask a Question form, we don't lose track of those!) Can you be a reader, but not a collector? Do true "readers" need to be surrounded by books? Ann and I both agree that you're a reader whether you keep what you've read or not. Ann tends to not keep most of what she reads, hanging on to only some signed books and multiple copies of her favorites, so she always has them on hand to introduce to new readers. I, on the hand, keep far too many of my books, though I am getting better. I should do a huge purge of my book collection, but frankly, I'd rather spend that time reading. How about you? Book hoarder? Minimalist? Somewhere in between?

Two Books We Can't Wait For You to Read (17:00)

trees     nightfilm

Ann recommends The People in the Trees by Hanya Yanagihara. It's a novel about an anthropologist and a  young doctor, and their 1950 trip to a remote Micronesian island. It's told in the form of the manuscript of the doctor's memoir, as dictated to his assistant, and it completely immersed Ann in the story. Click here to read a wonderful interview with the author.

I"m thrilled to finally tell you about Night Film by Marisha Pessl, though I really can't tell you much. The daughter of a reclusive cult filmmaker Stanislas Cordova commits suicide, or does she? Investigative journalist Scott McGrath has already been burned by the Cordova family once, but can't resist looking into Ashley's death. Filled with web pages, mental hospital intake forms, photographs, obituaries, I call this a "novel with stuff." That stuff will extend beyond the book via a free app that releases on August 20, the same day as the book. Trust me and just read this book.

We decided, spur of the moment, during the recording of this episode, to take next week as a vacation week. I'll be away, hopefully reading a ton of books (more likely watching my kids to make sure they don't run headlong into the oncoming waves). Ann didn't mention that she'll be guest hosting episode 15 of the Book Riot podcast, because it's sort of still a secret, so shhhhh...  It will likely go live this coming weekend, so check it out!