Here’s a big thanks to the 28 authors who sent us holiday gift lists for our inaugural 28 Authors, 28 Variations on a List series, which wrapped up yesterday. Authors, your lists were generous and often funny and full of ideas that showed off your bookselling acumen. You sent us searching for books we’d never seen before, books we’ve now added to our own lists. You told us about about your book-giving traditions, last-minute shopping strategies and had interesting things to say about the book business. You sent us childhood photos, cross-recommended each other’s books and talked about your favorite independent bookstores, from Fireside Books in Palmer, Alaska to Chapter One Book Store in Hamilton, Montana.
A few stats, facts and honors:
Number of books recommended: 191
Most recommended book: Vanessa Vaselka’s Zazen, which was listed by authors on Day 12, Day 14, Day 15 and Day 22
Heaviest shopping bag: Kevin Canty’s, which includes a 12-novel series
Most original giftee category: Willy Vlautin, who buys for his “wayward/out of rehab/sending Western Union money to them every six months sort of life-long friends”
Best description of a bookstore: Brian Doyle’s salute to Broadway Books here
Lists that received the most pageviews from our readers: Chuck Palahniuk, Chelsea Cain and and Day 1 author Lisa Wells, who gets our vote for the most festive photo
And here’s the chronological list, just in case you missed one:
1. Lisa Wells
3. Brian Doyle
6. Garth Stein
9. Eowyn Ivey
10. Jane Kirkpatrick
11. Jonathan Case
12. Chuck Palahniuk
13. Christine Deavel
14. Matt Love
15. Lidia Yuknavitch
16. Claire Dederer
17. Willy Vlautin
18. Cecelia Hagen
19. Diana Abu-Jaber
20. Scott Nadelson
21. Chelsea Cain
22. Jonathan Evison
24. Kevin Canty
25. Pete Fromm
26. Glen Chamberlain
27/28. Colin Meloy & Carson Ellis