Prometheus' Fire

Like so many Americans, I claim To Kill a Mockingbird as one of the books that have most influenced my life. It helped me realize the importance and beauty of literature. I often cite the text as one of the reasons why I became a teacher.

I recently read Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee, recommended by a close friend and fellow lover of literature.

One passage from the book struck me:

When [Harper Lee] couldn't be found during social hour before dinner, she could often be spotted with John Steinbeck, standing in a corner discussing favorite books.

The thought of two of my favorite authors discussing literature gave me pause. What had they discussed, I wonder? What books, what authors would the titans of American literature admire?

As a teacher of writing, I often remind my students that the acts of writing and reading cannot be divorced from one another. But somehow I managed to forget this myself. I had always assumed my favorite writers were also avid readers, but I had never ventured to dream what filled their bookshelves, crowded their nightstands, spurred their own craft.