Anne Rice on classic writers

Anne loves classic writers and often return to her favorites to refresh her internal image pool and learn, learn, learn from the masters of writing. Here's what she had to say of Henry James.

It is rather unfortunate that I have not read this classic, and perhaps I should add it to my reading list. I wish I live to be a hundred and fifty to read all the books on my growing list.

I have a few hardcovers of Charles Dickens's novels. I must get to reading them, too. As a child I fell in love with A Christmas Carol, believing its plot to be perfect and seamless--impossible to replicate!

Ahhh, Shakespeare! Well, I haven't read them all, but the few that I read I know are so rich one can devote a lifetime to studying Shakespeare. And as a thespian, Shakespeare has taught me to act more than any other playwright. I wish that before I leave this earth to play in all of Shakespeare's plays, bit part or main role!

Virginia Woolf... I have a volume of her works, and will get to her soon. As for Ernest Hemingway, I am in love with The Old Man and the Sea, as everyone I know who have read it is. I need to read more of his works. Incidentally, earlier today I found an article on OpenCulture.com listing Hemingway's best writing advice. They're fantastic, I think, and worthy to be checked out. So, here's to reading, and to reading the classics! Thanks, Anne, for being a lighthouse shining the path to the Masters of Storytelling!