Library Collection

Our living library is on the terrace level of La Muse and is a very spacious room with authentic stone walls - the mountain, huge hand-hewn beams, and a tile floor. The reason we call it a living library is because every retreat the library grows when new residents/attendees donate two or more books to it. These books are always books which have inspired people to write, paint or compose and/or books about where they are from physically and artistically. As you can guess this means La Muse is blessed with many amazing books as they are either written by the people who have been here or are inspired by their friends or home muses! Please check out our blog here to see who has been donating books to the library.

For a list of books we recommend reading before or during your stay, check out our reading list.

Your choices should be as follows:

1. One book about the place you call home, e.g. where you live now or where you were born.

2. One book that represents the area of the arts you work in. This can be, for example, a favorite collection of short stories or a book about how to write a short story.

Please write a short note to La Muse on the inside cover explaining why you chose each book and sign it.

For example, a screenwriter or director from the west coast of America might bring a copy of “Chinatown” by Robert Towne (a selection representing this person's art form) and “Angle of Repose” by Wallace Stegner (a selection that represents this person's home).

We welcome reference books, "coffee table" books and instructive volumes.

Of course, we love the books written by the writers and artists who come to the house. Among our guests are editors and publishers of literary journals, books and magazines. We invite attendees to take this chance to share their work with their artistic peers.

Please share your choices with us before buying them so that we don't have several copies of one book!

Thank you. We sincerely appreciate your contribution.