Shannon Reed will turn 50 this weekend, and that makes her think a lot about the types of books she couldn’t possibly have written until now. After a long career as a playwright and writing professor at the University of Pittsburgh, she’s broken onto the New York Times best-seller list with her second memoir, Why We Read: On Bookworms, Libraries, and Just One More Page Before Lights Out.
Among the book’s many relatable, charming essays about her all-consuming bibliophilia is a piece about her father’s passing in 2015. It might seem like an interesting tonal shift at first, but after nine years Shannon finally felt ready to share his story. And it was worth the wait.
As she veers into fiction for her third book, Shannon discusses some of the advice she offers her creative writing undergrads. And they’ve taught her many things in return, like how to rock those skinny jeans and treat her auditory disability as an identity rather than a burden.
Shannon’s memoir reminds us to treat our books as the relaxing hobby they’re supposed to be, luxuriate in our own pace and genre(s), and embrace our DNFs. We also talk about including your doctors in your Acknowledgements, teasing Game of Thrones fans, and who should play her whenever her work gets optioned.
Other links:
Read Sharon’s work for McSweeney’s and The New Yorker
When George Saunders (author of Lincoln in the Bardo and Tenth of December) wrote about her book on his Substack.
Watch Lucky Hank, based on Richard Russo’s novel, Straight Man
Michael Chabon’s first novel, The Mysteries of Pittsburgh
Follow Jim Cantore on Instagram
Episode 46: Shannon Reed became an overnight success after just 30 years.