BOOKLOVER AND AUTHOR HELEN BROWN IN THE HERALD ON SUNDAY

27 September, 2009

The book I love most is....anything by Alan Bennett or Alice Munro. Both are masters at transforming ordinary life into something magical. If I had to choose which one to meet for afternoon tea I’d probably go for Alan because he’s funnier, but then he is rather rude about a New Zealander in The Uncommon Reader.

Alice Munro is so perceptive I’d feel naked in front of her.

So maybe the book I really love most is anything by David Sedaris. Let’s say Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Jeans. Anything of his is brilliant. Now there’s a funny man. Why are they always gay?

The book I’m reading now is....a battered version of Peter the Great, His Life and World, by Robert K. Massie. I never read books twice but this is an exception. It’s just as riveting second time around, except the pages are falling out.

The book I’d like to read next is.....Spotless 2: More Stains and Solutions to Domestic Disasters. A concerned friend gave me Spotless One, but I haven’t got around to reading that yet either. Maybe I’ll wait for How to Ignore Spots and Stains and be Happy Anyway.

Footnote:

Helen Brown is a columnist, entertainer and author whose latest book is Cleo: How an Uppity Cat Helped Heal a Family. Read The Bookman's review of this title here.