Encounters with Authors by Dale Andrew White is a unique and intriguing book to read. It is a collection of twenty interviews that were conducted by White around 1980; however, the book itself was published over thirty years later. All the writers included in this collection are older, most have passed on before this book was published. Getting to read interviews of authors who have now moved on is the biggest appeal of this book. It is a way to know them outside of their novel, something that we will no longer have the chance to do firsthand.

Most interviews are approximately five pages long. White always includes an antidote about the author, a way of seeing the author from Whites perspective. Most also include a question and answer portion as well. In the case of Agatha Christie, who had already passed on, White interviewed someone who worked closely with her theater productions.

It is no surprise that authors are real human beings, with faults and virtues. However, it is interesting to see their personalities and how they match (or do not match) with their works. There is also a wide variety of authors who are included in the interviews. You may even find someone new to read.