Ardent Readers! Don't you wonder what books your favorite writers were inspired by? Roxanne Coady and Joy Johannessen have edited a book of 71 lively favorite-book essays by famous writers: The Book That Changed My Life: 71 remarkable writers celebrate the books that matter most to them . The book, which we recommend on our February 1 Beyond the Bestseller List, is a testimonial to the transformative power of books. Read it for inspiration and you will surely come away with titles to add to your own reading list.

Personal stories crop up in different titles on our non-fiction list. Adam Gopnik, author of Paris to the Moon, takes on life in New York City with children, pre and post 9/11, in his latest book, Through the Children's Gate. He writes eloquently about living with kids in the city.
Novelist Robert Stone has written his first work of nonfiction. Prime Green: Remembering the Sixties is his personal recollections of that decade.
With loving and sometimes painful insight, Charlotte Moore writes about her family and the reality of living with autism in George and Sam: two boys, one family, and autism.

Ready for a light read? Richard Yancey's The Highly Effective Detective is a very funny new mystery. I am glad to know that this is the first in a planned series featuring a lovable but bumbling detective.
Another compelling work of fiction is After This by Alice McDermott. Her book is a vivid portrait of a working-class Catholic family living on Long Island in the middle of the twentieth century.

With winter weather is finally here in the Northeast, I can think of nothing better than to curl up with a good book. I hope you'll agree,and find something that sparks your interest on the Beyond the BestSeller List.