My dad has always been a reader, and he's definitely where I got the reader bug gene from! I can't say that we share many books in common as he seems to almost exclusively read history and John Grisham.
I have a very distinct memory of us reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy to one another years ago and it was truly what made me fall in love with the crime and thriller genre.
Q1. What's your favourite book? Njáls saga by Þorsteinn Gylfason This is the old Icelandic saga of Njáls and his family. The story follows disputes and feuds between the leading Icelandic families. It demonstrates perfectly how some people - due to their impulsive personalities - cannot help but say things they shouldn't which result in disastrous consequences. Njáls sons are fearsome viking warriors and seek vengeance after an enemy clan attacks. I love this book because it is all about fate, a bit like a Greek Tragedy. I love to see the perseverance of those that escaped and my favourite trope in a book is to see those who did wrong getting what they deserve.
Q2. What was your favourite book as a child?
I don't remember the name...but it was about a boy who went on a fishing boat on all kinds of adventures and met up with pirate wolves that were dressed in very fancy pantaloons. Unknown to me when I was a child, it wasn't a politically correct book as many of the illustrations of natives depicted white people in black face.
Q3. What are you currently reading?
Stalingrad by Vasily Grossman
I've read novels and other history books about Stalingrad. Once again, I know it will end in German defeat so it aligns with my favourite trope. As a soviet writer, it's not just a novel but a representation of communism - not just fighting for their motherland but fighting to change history forever. Both the Russians and Germans knew this was the battle to win the war.
Q4. What are you planning to read next?
The Three-Arched Bridge by Ismail Kadare
This is about a bridge over a river in the Balkans. There is a myth that someone gets bricked into the bridge as good luck but in this story, Kadare talks about how this wasn't an immurement, but a murder - it sounds like an interesting read!
Q5. What three books are you taking with you to a desert island? (You already have the dictionary, the Complete Works of Shakespeare, a religious text and a survival guide)
1. Njáls saga by Þorsteinn Gylfason seeing as I've already reread it and will always go back to it.
2. A giant encyclopaedia of linguistics. I used to study linguistics but feel out of touch with it now, so would like an encyclopaedia to see everything that has been done in the field so I could contribute as I will have a lot of time on my hands!
3. Enormous volumes of WW2, as I love this era of history and it follows my favourite trope again! I expect it'll also be pretty long so should keep me busy.
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