Taylor Jenkins Reid

Taylor Jenkins Reid is from Acton, Massachusetts. She graduated from Emerson College in Boston in 2005. She worked in entertainment and education before becoming a writer, and now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Alex, and their dog, Rabbit.

Reid's first novel is Forever, Interrupted.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Her reply:

I just finished Sweet Tooth by Ian McEwan. I was excited to read it because I absolutely loved Atonement. I remember reading it years ago and taking a while to really get into the story but by the end being positively riveted and wishing I had more to read. Sweet Tooth felt the exact same way for me. By the time the end had arrived, I was so reluctant to put it down that I re-read the last chapter before the closing the book. The last chapter, incidentally, is positively stunning.

Now, I’m reading Salt Sugar Fat by Michael Moss. I picked it up unsure if I would finish it because it seemed so scientifically dense and yet, yesterday, I read 100 pages. I kept putting off doing other things so I could continue to learn more about how processed food companies have come to manipulate consumers using these three ingredients. I was also worried all the talk of candy bars and potato chips would make me hungry but Moss does such a good job illustrating the science behind it that you find yourself thinking, “Wait a minute! The only reason I like Cinnamon Toast Crunch is because it’s over 50 percent sugar?” It takes some of the magic out. Which is good for me. I could use a reason to stop eating so much Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

The book I am really looking forward to this summer is The First Affair by Nanny Diaries authors Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus. First of all, every book they write is fun. They write the sort of stuff you pick up and don’t put down until it’s over. But I’m even more excited because they are bringing that storytelling style to the world of the White House! I’m suffering from Scandal withdrawal since the show is on hiatus and I’m eagerly awaiting The First Affair to arrive on my doorstep.

Lastly, the book I come back to time and again, the one that breaks my heart and fills my soul, is All There Is: Love Stories from StoryCorps. A collection of true life love stories from people all across the country, the compilation proves time and again that the most beautiful stories are the ones that happen right before our eyes. Whenever I forget how fragile and valuable the love in our life truly is, I open that book to any page and just start reading.

Visit Taylor Jenkins Reid's website.

The Page 69 Test: Forever, Interrupted.

--Marshal Zeringue