Books That Saved My Life

AP: I can’t honestly claim a book has saved my life, as I’m not the sort to carry a thick Turgenev in my vest pocket to absorb dueling balls, but… Several years ago I was expected at a wedding of two people for whom I didn’t have any huge feeling, and I was in my hotel room reading the last ten pages of Georges Perec’s “Life: A User’s Manual.” As the denouement approached, the beauty of the whole book sort of overwhelmed me, and I found myself in tears at Perec’s accomplishment. Well, not tears, but certainly misty-eyed. I went to the wedding (which I’d sort of been dreading) in a burst of good feeling, including deep affection for the participants. I honestly credit Perec.

Arthur Phillips is the author of several national and international bestsellers, including Prague and The Egyptologist.  He has been a child actor, a jazz musician, a speechwriter, a dismally failed entrepreneur, and a five-time Jeopardy! champion. His fourth novel, The Song Is You was just published by Random House.  More info, and an excerpt of the book here.