Erica Bauermeister

Erica Bauermeister is the bestselling author of four novels including The School of Essential Ingredients, Joy for Beginners, The Lost Art of Mixing, and The Scent Keeper.

Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Bauermeister's reply:

I am an eclectic reader, mixing together research for new books, audio books that keep me company while traveling, and books I read for pleasure. Here’s a sampling of what’s crossed my path recently:

The Confidence Game: Why We Fall for It…Every Time by Maria Konnikova

How do you con someone? You find the core belief they never want to give up: I’m handsome. The world is a generous place. People are honest. In many ways a con artist is simply a more careful reader than most of us, able to see things we keep hidden and take advantage of weaknesses we don’t want to admit. Maria Konnikova’s book is a thorough, entertaining look into the perplexities and complexities of human behavior.

Spoonbenders: A Novel by Daryl Gregory

A novel of psychics and con artists (sense a trend?), all set in a plot line that is as intricate as the workings of a fantastical clock. There are Russian spies and space-and-time travel and family dynamics. All the pieces fit together, but I defy you to figure out how before the ending. I listened to the audio version, and the reader was a perfect match for the material.

The Last Romantics by Tara Conklin

A big, gorgeous novel about one family and the loss that changes all of them. Tara Conklin’s writing is poignant and insightful. I crawled inside the lives of these characters and didn’t come out until long after the book was finished.

I Am I Am I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O’Farrell

In Maggie O’Farrell’s hands, a topic that might have become morbid or sensational turns into a series of thoughtful, beautiful essays. Each brush with death creates its own insights and philosophical musings. O’Farrell is a novelist as well, and her memoir-in-essays takes full advantage of her literary skills to create a profound reading experience.

Visit Erica Bauermeister's website.

The Page 69 Test: The School of Essential Ingredients.

The Page 69 Test: The Lost Art of Mixing.

--Marshal Zeringue