Jane Mendelsohn comes to Books at Noon this week to discuss discuss her latest work, Burning Down the House.

Join her on Wednesday, May 4 at 12 PM!

When and where do you like to read?

I like to read anywhere, anytime.  But I especially like to read on the beat-up velvet love seat in my office.  It’s extremely comfortable.
 
What were your favorite books as a child?

Charlotte’s Web, A Child’s History of the World, Winnie-the-Pooh, One Morning in Maine, The Secret Garden...
 
Do you have any strange writing habits (like standing on your head or writing in the shower)?

I don’t consider these habits strange but maybe they are: I like to lie on the floor to think for long stretches of time and I eat very dark chocolate when I write.
 
What are five words that describe your writing process?

Searching, Vivid, Mysterious, Non-linear, Free.
 
How have libraries impacted your life?

Some of my happiest moments have been in libraries.  My mother used to take me to the library with her— she’s an academic— and i remember the library in every school I attended— from the little kid-sized Bertoia chairs in the library at my elementary school to the big green leather wing chairs in the library at college.   Libraries have been second homes for me.  They are sanctuaries.  They are places where your mind can feel completely free to wander.