What is Josephine Angelini reading?

The current featured contributor at Writers Read: Josephine Angelini, author of the newly released debut novel Starcrossed, the first installment of a trilogy.

Her entry begins:

Funny thing about doing a ton of interviews all at once. You start to see coincidences popping up all over the place. It’s not that everyone is asking the same questions-- I’ve been interviewed by some very clever and original people—it’s that one interview gets you thinking on a topic that effects another interview in a way that is both unforeseen and fortuitous.

Let me explain. I recently did an interview for a blogger who asked me to take random pictures of my bookcase and describe the books, why I had them arranged the way I did, and my opinion on their contents. That interview opened a Pandora’s box for me. I rediscovered some books that I haven’t read since college, and I had to ask myself questions like, “Why is Doctor Faustus next to The Last Temptation of Christ?”

So, I’ve been doing a lot of rereading. I don’t know if there’s any pattern to this chaos, but I am happy to rediscover some books that I’ve carried around with me from state to state, but haven’t actually read in a long time. And no wonder—some of the stuff I read in college was pretty heavy.

Socialist Christians, nihilists… Kant. I never understood him, though (I kant understand any of this! was a common thought that used to make me giggle in class.) I’ve been skipping around these books, looking at the things I underlined, shaking my head. I don’t remember ever being that smart. I used to write papers on this stuff, and it took me three tries to untangle a passage from “Twilight of the Idols”. Ah well.

I also ran across Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find, which is ...[read on]

Among the early praise for Starcrossed:

"Dreamless is slated for May 2012—not soon enough, as far as I'm concerned. I haven't wanted a second book so much since The Hunger Games."
—Los Angeles Times (read the full review)

"Josephine Angelini debuts a dizzying tale of action, drama, and romance. Modern mythology has never been sexier!"
—Kiersten White, New York Times bestselling author of Paranormalcy

"A gorgeous, haunting saga. I fell for Lucas just as hard as Helen did. OMGods, I can't wait to read more!"
—Lauren Kate, New York Times bestselling author of Fallen

"One of the most cinematic books I've ever read. Dramatic and intense! I can't tell you how many times I gasped while reading this book. Starcrossed plays out like a movie in your head."
—Sophie Jordan, New York Times bestselling author of Firelight

Learn more about the book and author at Josephine Angelini's website and blog.

Writers Read: Josephine Angelini.

--Marshal Zeringue