contents
Library residency
Andrew Skelton
The book I'm reading currently
The story of the singer from The Selecters, Pauline Black, and it's called Black by Design. It's her autobiography and it's really interesting because she was a black orphan who was adopted by a white family in 1950s England and how her life develops. It's interesting because she was in rural Essex without any black friends. I had a close black friend when I was growing up and it's interesting seeing how he probably felt, he was adopted, he was with a white family. Seeing what his perception of us might have been.
A book that had a big impact on me
The Bone People by Keri Hulme. It's a love mystery set in New Zealand and it's about three people, a young boy, his father and a woman and she's a hermit. The story is linked with Maori mythology. It's quite a violent and tragic love story because it's all about loss and reconciliation.
My desert island reading
For fun it would be the entire Armistead Maupin Tales of the City series. I worked in the book trade with lots of gay friends and I met Armistead Maupin and his novels are fun, humorous and just brilliant. Also, if I was stuck on a desert island, I'm very much an urbanite and I'd need to have some connection with the city.
My choice of lifetime magazine subscription
A BBC history magazine.
My must-see film
I think one of the most beautifully shot films is The English Patient but you have to read the book as well and see how, for once, the book and the film are both equally good. Actually you have to have the book read to you. My wife insisted I read the book to her, she thought the film was really romantic and sad and she loved having the book read to her.
My guilty-pleasure telly
Any sci-fi which I have to negotiate with the rest of the family to watch. Star Wars again and again.
My radio turn-on and turn-off
Radio turn-on is Radio 6, Sunday ten o'clock programme with Cerys Matthews. If I don't listen to it I go find it on i-player.
My radio turn-off, and I hate to say this is anything on Radio 2. The entire station, it never goes on.
My favourite work of art
Terry Frost is my favourite artist. He's a Cornish artist from the St Ives group. Any Terry Frost work, it's just beautiful.
The weekend paper I am most likely to pick up
The Guardian or The Observer.
The section of the weekend paper I read first
Family in The Guardian on Saturday.
A piece of music that makes me smile
Hit me with your rhythm stick by Ian Drury and the Blockheads.
A piece of music that makes me cry
It's La Boheme by Puccini.
