Posts Tagged ‘The Good Books’
The Good Books, Douglas Skelton: ‘Mystic River is masterful, I wish I could write like Dennis Lehane’
The Glasgow author on returning to the books he read as a youngster and the influence of Ed McBain on his writing. The first book I remember reading: It has to be Two Doggie Tales. It’s the only book by Enid Blyton I ever read – the Famous Five and Secret Seven seemed to…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Pauline Tait: ‘Nancy Drew got me hooked on mysteries and the love of them has stayed with me’
Author Pauline Tait on the influence of American writer Nora Roberts in helping her believe she could write in two very different genres. The first book I remember reading: As a young child, I remember reading The Princess and the Frog. It was often my bedtime read, and I still have my slightly tattered…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Jenny Colgan: ‘When I was six my parents found me reading a Dr Spock baby book’
The best selling rom-com author on reading parenting books as a child, why she recommends people read Middlemarch and her favourite books of the year. The first book I remember reading: Topsy and Tim. I wasn’t reading them, but apparently I’d learned them off by heart. My mum used to show off and pretend…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Neil Lancaster: ‘Ian Rankin is the master of Scottish fiction’
The retired Met police officer turned author on being inspired by Ian Rankin, John Niven’s heartbreaking memoir and Tony Kent as the British David Baldacci. The first book I remember reading: When I was about ten, my sister was doing her English O’Levels, and one of the books she was being forced to read…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Les Wilson: ‘I grew up reading Winnie-the-Pooh, I do a good Eeyore voice’
The former political journalist on being inspired by historian Jan Morris and shrinking time on CalMac ferries to Islay by reading. The first book I remember reading: The House at Pooh Corner by A.A. Milne. My mother read it to me (using all sorts of wonderful character voices) and I watched her finger move…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Alex Kane: ‘I often turn to audiobooks now because I can listen to them anywhere’
Writer Alex Kane on her love of Ruth Ware and enjoying audiobooks. The first book I remember reading: I read lots when I was little, but the first book that I really remember reading was Saffy’s Angel by Hilary McKay. I was on my first ever holiday abroad and was finding the sun far…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Philip Miller: ‘I might set fire to my terrible poems in a cleansing ritual’
The journalist and civil servant Philip Miller on growing up reading comics and writing poetry. The first book I remember reading: The old Ladybird version Tales of King Arthur, the first is called The Mysteries of Merlin. They had these clean, clear illustrations. I read them over and over. The first longer book that…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Douglas Jackson: ‘I was bereft by the end of The Alan Rickman Diaries’
The former journalist on being encouraged to persevere by the late John Le Carre and why he always recommends the Aubrey-Maturin Napoleonic naval adventures. The first book I remember reading: My dad took me to the library before I was old enough to get a ticket and I’ve been an avid reader ever since.…
Read MoreThe Good Books, Sue Lawrence: ‘I read One Day in 2011 and it’s stayed with me ever since’
The leading food writer on being inspired by Maggie O’Farrell, how One Day by David Nicholls has stayed with her for more than a decade, and why she doesn’t rate Normal People. The first book I remember reading: Heidi by Joanna Spyri. I was given it as a school prize in Primary 1 and though…
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