Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan for the shimmering beauty of her prose, the breathtaking characterization and for the message that every one can make a difference by their smallest and quietest acts,
The book that changed my life was Adrienne Rich, of woman born. After I understood the systematic suppression of women in our society I filed for divorce, engaged in the womens movement and found s total different way of life with other women and tried to help my daughter to obtain a good education.
I would like to think that I am throughly nice bloke. However, upon finishing the book I did wonder if my recollection of the breakdown of a relationship would tally with the other person.
It was sobering to think back and say did I do the decent and right things?
Honestly, how does a person pick just one? The Bone People by Keri Hulme catapulted me into a hunger to travel and to think deeply about how love can transform relationships while the pain and brutal nature of love can also wreak havoc on them. I’d never read prose quite like it before.
The Remains of the day by Kazuo Ishiguro in contrast gave me such insight into both the conservation of prose and into how the work we choose informs (or does not inform) the interior nature of our musings.
Remembering both of these novels makes me want to run back to both of them. Thank you.
And how could I exclude:
The stone diaries by Carol Shields
The god of small things by Arundhati Roy
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
A.S. Byatt’s Possession
Room by Emma Donoghue
Oh wow, I could go on and on. We are changed and moved and shifted by novels we need and novels we didn’t even know could transport us to places we never would have dreamed of without them.
A novel with trees as the principal characters! What a wonderful way to present a message about the breadth of sentience in the natural world. Powers describes forests as communities in which residents communicate with, protect, and nurture each other. This book has led me to expand my views about living things with which we share our planet.
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Amsterdam by Ian McEwan and The Overstory by Richard Powers.
All these sparked important realizations in me and helped me grow from a youngster into an adult. The relativity and smallness of the self in comparison to life, everything and time.
Every book I read leaves traces on my subconscious but if I have to choose one it would be The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.
I loved the family mystery, the detailed descriptions, the amazing characters and the fact that above all the book explores the human condition regardless of of race, creed or culture. It is one of the books I re-read and feel it is new yet familiar.
I've read (and taught!) this novel so often! Each time reading it is both new and a re-engagement with an old friend. That’s my own definition of a classic -- always open to new engagement, new meaning.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey ever since she won and I bought her book and read it I had this new profound knowledge what it's like for astronauts in space, what they do
Possession by AS Byatt. It's not often that I devour a Booker Prize winner, but I could not put this book down - it is time-slip, romantic, and very funny. What's not to like?
Omg. Yes. How could I forget this. After I read A Little Life I could not read another book for a month. I laid on my bed at night staring at the ceiling and thinking about how my own love and grief has transformed relationships. I too come back to this book often in my mind. But oh, I haven’t been able to pick it up and read it again. Sigh.
Finnegans Wake after being introduced to it in Dublin by Seamus Deane in 1969 aged 17 - I was obsessed with it for nearly 20 years and it nearly wrecked my marriage as I studied it night after night fueled by whisky - ok it was probably more to do with the whisky - still love FW but not obsessively, gave up booze and took up running instead.
Bewilderment by Richard Powers. Robin, despite his tender age, taught me so much and brought so much compassion to my life. He, through his journey, helped me make sense of mine thus far and shape my next chapter. As someone who was not diagnosed with autism until I hit thirty, coincidentally the very same year this book was released, it was truly revelatory. It had and remains to have such a deep impact on my life. Plus throw in some beautifully written astrobiology and astrophysics and you have a winner in my eyes.
Is say The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez. It's the book that taught me the most on what my own stories could be and really shaped my craft. 😊
Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan for the shimmering beauty of her prose, the breathtaking characterization and for the message that every one can make a difference by their smallest and quietest acts,
What a book!
The book that changed my life was Adrienne Rich, of woman born. After I understood the systematic suppression of women in our society I filed for divorce, engaged in the womens movement and found s total different way of life with other women and tried to help my daughter to obtain a good education.
The Sense of an Ending by Julian Barnes.
I would like to think that I am throughly nice bloke. However, upon finishing the book I did wonder if my recollection of the breakdown of a relationship would tally with the other person.
It was sobering to think back and say did I do the decent and right things?
Thanks Simon - how enlightening!
Honestly, how does a person pick just one? The Bone People by Keri Hulme catapulted me into a hunger to travel and to think deeply about how love can transform relationships while the pain and brutal nature of love can also wreak havoc on them. I’d never read prose quite like it before.
The Remains of the day by Kazuo Ishiguro in contrast gave me such insight into both the conservation of prose and into how the work we choose informs (or does not inform) the interior nature of our musings.
Remembering both of these novels makes me want to run back to both of them. Thank you.
And how could I exclude:
The stone diaries by Carol Shields
The god of small things by Arundhati Roy
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
A.S. Byatt’s Possession
Room by Emma Donoghue
Oh wow, I could go on and on. We are changed and moved and shifted by novels we need and novels we didn’t even know could transport us to places we never would have dreamed of without them.
Thank you. 🙏
Love these picks, thanks Sarah!
I recently read The Stone Diaries. It was a great read. Peculiar and compelling.
Me too.
Philip Seib
The Overstory, by Richard Powers
A novel with trees as the principal characters! What a wonderful way to present a message about the breadth of sentience in the natural world. Powers describes forests as communities in which residents communicate with, protect, and nurture each other. This book has led me to expand my views about living things with which we share our planet.
Love this, thanks Philip!
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, Amsterdam by Ian McEwan and The Overstory by Richard Powers.
All these sparked important realizations in me and helped me grow from a youngster into an adult. The relativity and smallness of the self in comparison to life, everything and time.
I read The Remains of the Day in two or three sittings and it made me bawl in bed at 4am in the morning (but in a good way)
We hope you've recovered!
Every book I read leaves traces on my subconscious but if I have to choose one it would be The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy.
I loved the family mystery, the detailed descriptions, the amazing characters and the fact that above all the book explores the human condition regardless of of race, creed or culture. It is one of the books I re-read and feel it is new yet familiar.
Primrose Duvander
Thanks Primrose!
I've read (and taught!) this novel so often! Each time reading it is both new and a re-engagement with an old friend. That’s my own definition of a classic -- always open to new engagement, new meaning.
Orbital by Samantha Harvey ever since she won and I bought her book and read it I had this new profound knowledge what it's like for astronauts in space, what they do
Possession by AS Byatt. It's not often that I devour a Booker Prize winner, but I could not put this book down - it is time-slip, romantic, and very funny. What's not to like?
Thanks Sally!
I too would vote Possession. The beauty of its prose and the intricate images in its storytelling remain with me decades later
Agreed. I think I’ll buy it for my daughter who hasn’t read it yet.
A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara.
I think of it every single day, it will never leave me
What makes it so powerful for you, Libby?
Omg. Yes. How could I forget this. After I read A Little Life I could not read another book for a month. I laid on my bed at night staring at the ceiling and thinking about how my own love and grief has transformed relationships. I too come back to this book often in my mind. But oh, I haven’t been able to pick it up and read it again. Sigh.
Finnegans Wake after being introduced to it in Dublin by Seamus Deane in 1969 aged 17 - I was obsessed with it for nearly 20 years and it nearly wrecked my marriage as I studied it night after night fueled by whisky - ok it was probably more to do with the whisky - still love FW but not obsessively, gave up booze and took up running instead.
Bewilderment by Richard Powers. Robin, despite his tender age, taught me so much and brought so much compassion to my life. He, through his journey, helped me make sense of mine thus far and shape my next chapter. As someone who was not diagnosed with autism until I hit thirty, coincidentally the very same year this book was released, it was truly revelatory. It had and remains to have such a deep impact on my life. Plus throw in some beautifully written astrobiology and astrophysics and you have a winner in my eyes.
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell.
I'd never read anything like it before and it changed what I thought possible in a novel.
Thanks a great book, thanks Marc!
Rushdie's ' Midnight Children' changed my life, as did The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Can you tell us why? We'd love to know more!
Is say The Dangers of Smoking in Bed by Mariana Enriquez. It's the book that taught me the most on what my own stories could be and really shaped my craft. 😊
Love this! Thanks Shan