1. One book that changed your life: A Bear Called Paddington (1958) by Michael Bond. Paddington is a perfect role-model for children and, come to think of it, a pretty good one for adults too. The world needs more Paddington, and the good news is that it is going to get some:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main...paddington.xml
2. One book you have read more than once: The one I've re-reaad most recently is probably
The Doctrine of the Infallible Book (1924) by Charles Gore DD, in which Mr Gore argues
against the idea of Biblical infallibility. Charles Gore was an Anglican bishop who caused considerable controversy with his ideas about Biblical infallibility (he was editor and contributor to the famous
Lux Mundi, in which the theory was outlined). I own a lot of his work - he's another of my favourite figures.
3. One book you would want on a desert island: Carlyle's
The Letters and Speeches of Oliver Cromwell. Actually, no, probably
The Poems of Jesus (2 vols, 1965), 'taken from the gospels by Dom Robert Petitpierre', in which the forementioned Petitpierre takes the words of Jesus as recorded in the Bible and presents them as, no surprise, poetry.
4. One book that made you laugh: The Chronicles of Clovis (1911) by Saki. Saki (HH Munro) makes me laugh like no other literary figure, but it was
The Chronicles of Clovis that introduced me to his work, so I'll vote that. The
Reginald stories are perhaps even funnier though.
5. One book that made you cry: I don't think I've cried as a result of reading a book, but I was very touched by Nicola Barker's exquisite
Small Holdings (1995). She is by some way my favourite living author of fiction, and this is a wonderful little novel.
6. One book you wish had been written: A Complete Guide to English Commemorative Medals. I would probably be well advised to write the hefty and very expensive 20-volume work myself, but I'm not sure I could be bothered. I'm especially interested in medals commemorating local (ie Wirral and Birkenhead) events, religious activities and 19th century political reform. I've been asked to give a speech illustrating the history of Birkenhead seen through commemorative medals. We'll see. I'd rather lend my collection to someone else; that way they can do the presentation and I can just take some of the credit.
7. One book you wish had never had been written: John Steinbeck's
The Pearl. We had to read it at school. I remember it quite clearly as a travesty of literary justice. I hated it. It occaisionally haunts me still, I have to confess; it is testament to the depth of my love of books that
The Pearl didn't compel me to despise the written word.
8. One book you are currently reading:
The Apocryphal Gospels, Acts and Revelations (1870, as part of the Ante-Nicene Christian Library, but all written before the Council of Nicea, obviously). I like to read early Christian stuff; it's great to see ideas being formed and stories being reported that didn't eventually become part of the main Christian canon.
9. One book you have been meaning to read: I've bought a lot of books this year, so there are quite a few waiting for my full attention. Both
Leyland Buses and
Shakespeare and Religion are ones I'm especially keen to get round to.