30 Day Blogger, Day 4: My Favorite Book

Being a writer myself, books are, of course, a rather large area of my life. I have boxes of them and have as yet to get Kindle simply because I like the feel - the weight - of a book in my hand. Of all the books I have read in my illustrious career as a human being there have been a few that have touched me so deeply it's as if they were written just for me. If I had to choose a Top 3 they'd be A Separate Peace by John Knowles, At Swim, Two Boys by Jamie O'Neill, and, my absolute favorite, In a Shallow Grave by James Purdy. Shallow Grave is a short novel, but it packs a punch. A disfigured soldier, his help, and a decrepit dance hall make for a truly haunting and strange romance. It was made into a film in 1988, starring Michael Biehn and Patrick Dempsey, but I think it's time for a newer version. Purdy's books are always dkisturbing (avoid Eustace Chisolm and Narrow Rooms if you're squeamish), but the literary adventure he takes you on is unlike any other writer, making him my literary hero.