My life in books: ‘The Mayor of Casterbridge’ was a real lightbulb moment for me
Jessamine O’Connor believes everybody should read 'Orbital' by Samantha Harvey: 'It seems to divide the room but is the most extraordinary thing I’ve read.'
Jessamine O’Connor is a writer, editor, and poet, who lives with her family on the Sligo/Roscommon border.
Her debut novel , published by Lilliput Press, is out now.
Right now I’m on by Philipp Meyer, and dipping in and out of Niamh McCabe’s and Shane Tivenan’s .
I’m also rereading the excellent poetry collection and issues of magazine.
The most laugh-out-loud books have got to be the trilogy by Anthony Burgess.
Too many to mention, but I also haven’t quite finished by Ward Churchill, after years of reading it; not because it isn’t excellent but because it’s a chronological account of European colonisation of the Americas and is really harrowing.
Something from early childhood I’d imagine, as I don’t remember ever deciding to be a writer, so , or .
by Seán Farrell. It made me happy because at the time Seán was potentially about to be my editor, so I was worried in case I wouldn’t like his book and therefore couldn’t trust him with mine, but instead it was outstanding.
It’s so thoughtful, funny as well as dark, and perfectly written. It’s also very relatable and actually heartwarming.
by John Steinbeck; guaranteed weeping but still great. by Jesmyn Ward; modern America for young Black men.
by Gabrielle Zevin. This was for our book club; I would never have picked it off a shelf as it’s pitched somehow as a romance about video game designers.
However, first, it’s not a romance, it’s love. Second, it made me rethink my video game aversion and appreciate that there can be epic storytelling involved. But mainly it’s just fascinating and a great read.
Thomas Hardy’s was a real lightbulb moment when I first read it.
One of the characters was crippled by fear of their past catching up on them — unaware they were not actually under scrutiny and time moves on. They missed out on life, in dread of what might happen.
Books by humans, writing something only they know about, so other humans can learn from it or relate to it. Basically, all good books (not crapped out by AI).
by Samantha Harvey. It seems to divide the room but is the most extraordinary thing I’ve read. Should be prescribed to everyone on this planet.
(obviously), (the original), and .
The Secret Book and Record Store in Dublin; they even write personal notes and poems with their deliveries. Kennys, The Salmon Bookshop, Dubray, and Liber in Sligo.
Shelves of chaos, double layers of books in no order, also piled up on floors and tables.
I do have one shelf that is specifically a to-do list and others that are just poetry or just reference, but mostly it’s mayhem.
Pillow.
Archy from by Don Marquis. I was quite obsessed by this book when I was young and still consult it. Archy is a serious poet reincarnated as a cockroach.
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