My experience as a teacher of history, literature, art, and music placed me in close contact with young people and their friendships, passions, worries, and joys. Then I had children of my own. Teaching and parenting also made me more deeply aware of my own youth, and of the importance of relationships in the formation of the young. Each of my chosen books highlights these qualities through beautifully crafted prose. Their stories, characters, and settings have a special place in my heart, and have inspired me as a writer. And whenever I reread them, I realise I still have a lot to learn.
I first read it at school. It did not make an impact on me then (probably because it was compulsory reading); but my English teacher was curious to know my thoughts on it. Looking back, I think she saw something in me that I had not yet seen in myself, and that there was a similarity between me and Charlotte Brontë.
Fifteen years later, I undertook a PhD in English Literature, and Brontë was my focus. When, at that point, I reread Jane Eyre, I was struck by its narrative and descriptive power, so much so that I copied paragraph after paragraph.
And whenever I dip into Jane Eyre, its conviction, its depth, and, curiously, its wit, continue to impress and inspire me.
Introduction and Notes by Dr Sally Minogue, Canterbury Christ Church University College.
Jane Eyre ranks as one of the greatest and most perennially popular works of English fiction. Although the poor but plucky heroine is outwardly of plain appearance, she possesses an indomitable spirit, a sharp wit and great courage.
She is forced to battle against the exigencies of a cruel guardian, a harsh employer and a rigid social order. All of which circumscribe her life and position when she becomes governess to the daughter of the mysterious, sardonic and attractive Mr Rochester.
A touching and intimate account that brings me to tears every time I read it. I love how its simple narrative is infused with poetry and how you can hear the gentle Welsh lilt.
All this brings the story to life, and makes its hopes, joys, and tragedies so very poignant.
All six episodes of the BBC adaptation of Richard Llewellyn's classic novel set in a Welsh mining community at the turn of the century. Gwilym (Stanley Baker) and Beth Morgan (Siân Phillips) work their hardest to provide for their children, but these are the years before the unions improved the miner's lot, and times are very hard indeed. However, the community in which the Morgans live is a close-knit one, and they are grateful for all the help they receive, especially from the Rev. Gruffydd (Gareth Thomas).
I love the way this book tells so much with such economy.
Having been thrown unwillingly into a teaching position myself, I could readily identify with the young and awkward Mr. Chipping, whose unassuming nature is at odds with the authoritarian discipline expected of the Victorian schoolmaster.
But Chipping learns that authority can also be exercised through gentleness, understanding, and humour; and I have this book to credit for teaching me that lesson, too. I’m also a history buff, and this book gives an enriching overview of the massive changes that occurred during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.
The more I read of that period, the more this book resonates with me.
I suppose this book is a rather unusual choice of bildungsroman; but Mark Twain famously once said, ‘I have never let my schooling interfere with my education’, and Tom Sawyer certainly reflects that maxim. What an adventure!
The imagination and zest of youth are delightfully pitted against social contrivance with glorious hyperbole and tremendous empathy. Having had four boys of my own, I can honestly say that Mark Twain captured the spirit of boyhood in this book.
"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is the first of Mark Twain's novels to feature one of the best-loved characters in American fiction, with a critical introduction by John Seelye in "Penguin Classics". From the famous episodes of the whitewashed fence and the ordeal in the cave to the trial of Injun Joe, "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" is redolent of life in the Mississippi River towns in which Twain spent his own youth. A sombre undercurrent flows through the high humour and unabashed nostalgia of the novel, however, for beneath the innocence of childhood lie the inequities of adult reality…
I’m not really a fan of Australian fiction, but I did enjoy Alan Marshall’s books.
Crippled by polio himself, Marshall had first-hand experience, which I found helpful for writing my book, especially since I Can Jump Puddles is also set in the early decades of the twentieth century.
More importantly, I find his gutsy approach to life in a tough rural environment, his no nonsense attitude, and his humour inspirational.
Set in 1920s Sydney, Australia, my book is a first-person story featuring fifteen-year-old Lucy Straughan, a motherless refugee from the Irish wars. Having recovered from polio, which has left her crippled and morose, Lucy finds security in music and mathematics; but she is terrified of returning to school and facing her peers.
Face her peers she must; and through a string quartet, comprised of four very unlikely players who gradually become friends, Lucy overcomes her traumatic past. She also learns that she is not alone in her sufferings; for the horrors of the First World War have scarred many souls. And it is through those very sufferings that Lucy learns she has something very special to give.
As a child, I lived in a small valley sheltered from the night city lights. I could see the stars, and from that time, that is where my imagination dwelled. As a teenager, I read several of the books I have listed here, and from that point, I was inspired to read more and also to write myself. I sincerely believe that despite our current problems, humanity will outlive its troubled childhood and reach for the stars. We are destined for the stars, and only in the works of science fiction writers is that future explored. The books below helped me to become a successful author in my own right.
An alien starship appears in the Solar System! Humanity faces a glorious future, or total extinction, and only Joe Falcon can make the choice. Never would Joe have imagined it would fall to him to make the decision that would alter the destiny of two worlds, launching humanity towards a glorious future, or to extinction.
Falcon's Call is an action packed dive into the unknown, written in the style of the great, classic, science-fiction stories. If you like surprising plot twists, compelling characters and a hero who actually cares, you must read this new novel by Mike Waller.
Reader's Favorite Gold Medal winner 2019 B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree 2019 Chill With A Book Premier Award 2019
In a heart-pounding battle for humanity's survival, one man holds the key to a glorious future or utter extinction.
In a race against time, Earth and Mars race to claim a derelict alien ship as it enters the Solar System, both aware that whichever planet succeeds might in so doing achieve technological advantage over the other. But who should they send? Joe Falcon, an unlikely candidate, never saw himself as the "right" person. Accompanied by a crew of misfits, each fleeing their own…
