British Books

Crumbs, that's a tricky one as it was likely one I read as a nipper.

I do trace my love of fantasy and sci-fi back to The Boy With The Bronze Axe, which was a great historical book for kids. From there it's a clear line through The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe to The Hobbit. I should also flag Star Wars up as a big influence - I was hungry for more of that so drank books down, on long drives over the holidays, I'd get through a book a day. I remember there was a book offer for schools and I got quite a few that way, especially the John Carter of Mars books. I trawled through secondhand book shops grabbing armfuls of whatever took my fancy.

Not sure what the first one was, since I've been reading since I was very young, but the book that transformed what reading could mean to me was Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. Before that, I never knew someone could be so playful with language and meaning.

Spot The Dog. Fucking classic.

Spike Milligan's Adolf Hitler: My part in his downfall. One of Spike's war memoirs; hilarious and sad, a unique insight into the common soldier's experience, and a great way to learn history.

Green Eggs and Ham by Dr Seuss. I think I used to know it by heart when I was 6. Now as an adult I can appreciate how it must have been a riotous technical challenge to write a story using only 50 words, with the only multi-syllabic word being "anywhere".

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. I’d already seen the first two films, so thought I’d start at book three.

Still haven’t read the first two yet.

I think I was about 12 and it was one of:

• The Stainless Steel Rat - Harry Harrison
• Truckers - Terry Pratchett
• Protector - Larry Niven

Can't remember much now, as it's been well over a decade, nearing two, but what I do remember is that, when I was a kid, I had read "Raptor Red" that was lying in a shelf from my home, and I found it great.