One entry on the list:John ShadeRead about another book on the list.
Shade is the author of a partly autobiographical 999-line poem called "Pale Fire", which features in the novel of the same name by Vladimir Nabokov. Missing its final thousanth line, it is copiously annotated by Charles Kinbote, a former neighbour of the poet. It becomes evident from these notes that Shade has been murdered in a plot involving a foreign assassin.
Pale Fire is one of Tracy Kidder's six best books as well as the novel Charles Storch would save for last. It is one of "Six Memorable Books About Writers Writing" yet it disappointed Ha Jin upon rereading.
--Marshal Zeringue
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