What I’m reading
Empire of Silver
By Conn Iggulden
This is the fourth in the Conqueror series about the history of Genghis Khan and his descendants. Iggulden has a great story-telling skill and brings 13th century warfare horrifyingly alive. The plotting and cunning of the brothers fighting for the top job makes the modern political scene in the UK look like a tea party.
The book I loved as a child
Malory Towers series
By Enid Blyton
As a child in the ‘50s and ‘60s with no computer or TV to distract me, I started with Enid Blyton books, the Malory Towers and Naughtiest Girl series in particular. I moved on to the Chalet School books by Elinor Brent Dyer, set long before any national curriculum. I read all the Bobbsey Twins stories and then as a teenager, Dennis Wheatley and Somerset Maugham delighted me. As a sixth former in a convent grammar school, I was introduced to The Go-Between by LP Hartley. Its now-iconic opening line has always stayed with me.
Read this before you die
A Dog Day
By Walter Emmanuel
It is almost impossible to choose, so I’m going for a light-hearted diary written in 1902. It is one day in the life of a terrier who chases burglars, torments kittens and eats anything and everything. As a dog owner, this very short book never fails to raise a smile whenever I pick it up. Mine is the illustrated version from 1980 and while the dog bears little resemblance to any of mine, my nephews love having it read to them.
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