My Ideal Bookshelf

(Article originally published in the Wall Street Journal)

If you could pick a small selection of books to represent you, what would they be? Over 100 creative types, including chefs, writers, architects and filmmakers, answered the question for “My Ideal Bookshelf,” edited by Thessaly La Force (Little, Brown, $24.99). James Joyce and Marcel Proust make expected appearances—as do “Harriet the Spy” and “The Complete Far Side.” Sherlock Holmes shows up on the shelves of both writer Michael Chabon and doctor/author Atul Gawande. Each interview is accompanied by a hand-painted illustration of the selected books by Jane Mount, whose paintings of bookshelves inspired the collection, due out Nov. 13. Here is a sampling:

Judd Apatow, Film Producer

“I chose a few books that were important to me when I was a kid dreaming of becoming a comedian. ‘The Last Laugh’ was the first portrayal of the comedian’s life where I wanted in.

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