In each issue of Irish Country Magazine, we interview a person of note about the books that shaped their lives. Maybe it’s a novel that they simply couldn’t put down, or a memoir that taught them a valuable lesson. Think of it as an essential reading list.
This time, it’s Podcaster and Book Club host Jenny Claffey’s turn to share her favourite books.
What is your all-time favourite book?
It’s so hard because different books have stuck with me for different reasons, but I would probably say The Secret History by Donna Tart.
What book has inspired you the most, or changed the way you think?
Room To Dream by David Lynch. It’s Lynch’s autobiography of sorts, but it’s really just filled with incredible insight into his creative mind and creative process. A must-read for any artist or cinephile.
Is there a book you associate with a particular time in your life?
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath really reminds me of my early 20s. Lana Del Rey had just come out and Tumble was at its height.
Do you have a favourite memoir?
I don’t read many, but Cat Marnell’s How To Murder Your Life is a memoir like no other. It’s a wild ride of one of the original internet It Girls, and a seethingly honest look at addiction. It’s not for the faint heart, though. Another must-read is Just Kids by Patti Smith.
Do you list to audiobooks, and if so, do you recommend any?
I do! Not a lot, because I’m really fussy. By far the best audiobook I have ever listened to was The Shards by Bret Easton Ellis. Ellis narrates it and it is one of the most immersive and atmospheric audiobooks I’ve ever come across.
What is your favourite quote from a book you love?
“Keep your eye on the doughnut, not the hole.” David Lynch, Room To Dream.
Is there a childhood book that has stuck with you since your childhood?
So many! Charlottes Web was the first book that showed me just how deeply literature could make you feel. But I think I fell in love with reading through The Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. They were dark, mysterious and like nothing I had ever read before.
Is there a book that’s stuck with you later in life?
I read Freedom by Jonathan Franzen about 15 years ago and still think of it to this day. Franzen has the ability to create characters who seem to live on after the novel is finished.
What is on your to-read list?
I genuinely have a never-ending TBR (to be read), and I’m such a mood reader, so sometimes I plan to read one book but quickly change my mind. I’ve recently added Heap Earth Upon It by Chloe Michelle Howarth. I loved her debut novel, Sunburn, so I’m really excited to see where she’ll go next. I will also definitely be reading Mark Ronson’s new memoir Night People, which I’ll probably listen to as an audiobook. I’m determined to finish the Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante this year, too; the first two were so good I’m almost savouring the last two because I fell in love with the characters so much and dread to think of saying goodbye to them!
