A witty, deeply personal memoir celebrating the books that shape a life—and the stories that stay with us long after we’ve turned the last page.
 
Pamela Paul, editor of The New York Times Book Review, has kept a “Book of Books” (nicknamed Bob) for nearly three decades—a private record of every book she’s ever read. In My Life with Bob, she shares what that lifelong reading list reveals: not just the titles, but the moments, memories, and turning points each book represents. From childhood favorites to literary discoveries that reshaped her world, Paul reminds us that every reader’s life is, in many ways, a story written in books.
 
Part memoir, part love letter to literature, My Life with Bob is a charming and relatable exploration of how books accompany us through joy, heartbreak, ambition, and self-discovery.
Pamela Paul traces her life’s journey through the stories she’s read—novels that sparked imagination, essays that offered wisdom, and memoirs that mirrored her own growth. With humor and honesty, she reflects on reading as a form of companionship, memory, and identity.
 
Whether recounting teenage obsessions, literary crushes, or motherhood’s reading compromises, Paul’s essays reveal how books define the chapters of our lives. My Life with Bob will resonate with anyone who’s ever used reading to make sense of the world—or themselves.
 
💖 Why You’ll Love It
A smart, heartfelt memoir for true book lovers.
Blends humor, nostalgia, and literary insight.
Explores how reading shapes identity and memory.
Perfect for fans of bookish memoirs and bibliophiles of all kinds.
A love letter to the transformative power of stories.
 
🌟 Perfect For
Readers who keep their own “Book of Books” or reading journals.
Fans of The Reading Life by C.S. Lewis or Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman.
Book clubs exploring the personal power of literature.
Anyone who believes books can change—and define—us.
 
❤️ Fans Also Liked
If you enjoyed My Life with Bob, you might also like:
Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Anne Fadiman — essays on the joy of reading.
The Reading List by Sara Nisha Adams — a tender novel celebrating the books that connect us.
The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe — books as the bridge between generations.