The last five books I've read
Charlotte Wood is the author of The Natural Way of Things. Here she tells us the last five books she read.
The Illuminations by Andrew O’Hagan
I was keen to see how O’Hagan would bring together the story of a disillusioned British soldier returning to Scotland after a deadly, messed-up mission in Afghanistan, and his elderly artist grandmother, Anne Quirk, as she slips in and out of dementia. I’m interested in ageing as a subject for fiction, and whether it can be made interesting in itself as a state preoccupied as much with the present and the future as the past.
Six Bedrooms by Tegan Bennett Daylight
One of my favourite books of the year. These stories, about the chaos and tenderness and danger of that period between teenagehood and adulthood, are sharp, beautifully crafted, sparkling jewels. Reviewer Peter Pierce called Daylight “one of the most morally astute, technically adroit, anti-formulaic and unsentimental practitioners of the short story craft in Australia”. I agree.
Fiona Wood’s YA books
I’m editing an interview with Fiona Wood (no relation!) about her sharp, tender books for teenagers – Cloudwish, Wildlife and Six Impossible Things. I love her wit and empathy and her sharp eye for the detail of teenage life, not to mention a classy way with dialogue.
Flesh Wounds by Richard Glover
Richard is the ABC Sydney radio drive show presenter, hugely popular for his warm interviews and his droll observations on domesticity and suburban life. This memoir examines his strange upbringing – or, more accurately, his complete neglect – at the hands of two narcissistic, self-obsessed parents. I found it extremely moving, covering very difficult and painful terrain with poignancy, optimism and even forgiveness.
The Book of Strange New Things by Michel Faber
I have just begun this novel about a Christian missionary visiting the planet Oasis to spread the word of god, and I am thrilled. I’m excited by its wildly imaginative premise and the elegance of its prose, along with the authorial humanity evident in every word. Can’t wait to see what happens next.
