My First Reading Experience
At the age of eight, my mother gifted me a copy of “Stanley Bagshaw and the Short-sighted Football Trainer” by Bob Wilson. Growing up, I mistakenly believed the author was the same Bob Wilson who kept for Arsenal and was a sports presenter on ITV. Although this was incorrect, it didn’t lessen my admiration for this wonderfully rhythmic picture book, which truly deserves a reissue to encourage more children to read. My own children love it just as much.
The Book I Cherished in My Youth
During my secondary school years, “The Red Pony” by John Steinbeck deeply influenced me. The way Steinbeck painted landscapes with words left me in awe. It was also the first book that ever brought me to tears, making it an unforgettable addition to my list of favorite books.
The Inspiration to Write
In my early twenties, a period of illness confined me to my bed for several weeks. Feeling quite down during this time, I read “Mr Vertigo” and “In the Country of Last Things” by Paul Auster, following my earlier experience with “The New York Trilogy”. Auster’s books ignited a desire in me to write my own fiction.
The Book I Returned To
Initially, I attempted to appreciate “Gilead” by Marilynne Robinson upon its release and again after returning from my studies in Canada, but I struggled to connect with its religious tone. It wasn’t until I became a father that I picked up the book once more and fully appreciated John Ames’s letter to his son.
The Book I Often Revisit
While I rarely reread novels, I frequently revisit short stories. Over the last two decades, I have most often returned to the collection “Drinking Coffee Elsewhere” by ZZ Packer. I regularly share her story “The Ant of the Self” with my undergraduate students at the beginning of each term. It’s a masterfully crafted story that largely explores the complexities of a father-son relationship, and I know it almost by heart.
The Book I Can’t Bear to Read Again
John Fowles’s “The Magus” was a riveting read, yet it ended so frustratingly that Fowles himself reworked it for subsequent editions due to his dissatisfaction with the original ending. It’s possibly the only book that I’ve loved so much yet felt compelled to hurl against the wall out of disappointment.
A Later Life Discovery
Later in life, I discovered “Corregidora” by Gayl Jones, a brief yet powerful novel from 1975 that explores the protagonist’s inherited trauma with devastating clarity and shifts seamlessly between past and present.
What I’m Currently Reading
I am currently diving into “Bad Attitudes” by Agnes Owens, an author I was previously unaware of but am eager to explore more from her extensive list of works. Starting a novel without prior knowledge of its author is my preferred approach these days.
My Go-To Comfort Reads
“Tobias Wolff’s Old School” serves as my literary comfort, enveloping me at various points in my life with its quiet beauty and depth. Similarly, “Mildred Pierce” by James M Cain has unexpectedly drawn me into the world of a 1930s chicken and waffle restaurant, a storyline that continues to captivate me.
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Fatima Clarke is a seasoned health reporter who bridges medical science with human stories. She writes with compassion, precision, and a drive to inform.
