Rebecca Perry's Reading Journey: A Conversation with the Booker-Longlisted Author

In a recent interview, Rebecca Perry, author of the Booker-longlisted novel 'May We Feed the King', reflects on her lifelong journey with reading. From her earliest memories of devouring Spike Milligan's 'On the Ning Nang Nong' to her current obsession with Augustine Cerf's 'Compensation', Perry's love affair with literature is a testament to the transformative power of words. ## Early Reading Memories Perry's earliest reading memory dates back to the age of five, when she sat on the floor of her bedroom, engrossed in Spike Milligan's 'On the Ning Nang Nong'. This experience not only sparked her love for reading but also instilled in her a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. As she grew older, Perry's fascination with stories only deepened, and she found solace in a collection of fairytales that she treasured from the age of seven to ten. ## The Book That Changed Her as a Teenager Perry's relationship with reading underwent a significant shift when she encountered Federico García Lorca's 'Collected Plays' during her GCSE drama studies. Lorca's poetry had a profound impact on her, and she recalls being struck by the lines from 'City That Does Not Sleep', which she describes as hitting her "like a bolt of lightning". This experience not only shaped her adolescent relationship with reading but also influenced her adult perspective on language. ## The Writer Who Changed Her Mind Perry's introduction to Frank O'Hara's poetry marked a significant turning point in her literary journey. Unlike the serious and somber tone of the poetry she had studied previously, O'Hara's work was like a breath of fresh air, embracing life and its complexities. This encounter not only broadened her understanding of poetry but also encouraged her to approach language with a sense of playfulness and experimentation. ## The Book That Made Her Want to Be a Writer While Perry doesn't recall a specific book that made her want to become a writer, she does mention that Percival Everett's 'The Trees' was the novel that made her feel she might be able to write a novel. This experience highlights the importance of discovering one's own voice and style, and the role that reading plays in shaping a writer's identity. ## The Book She Rereads Perry's go-to text for resetting her brain and reminding her of the capacities of writing is Anne Carson's 'Glass and God', particularly 'The Glass Essay'. This work is a testament to the power of language to transform and inspire, and Perry's admiration for it is evident in her description of it as "basically perfect". ## The Book She Could Never Read Again Perry's relationship with JK Rowling's 'Harry Potter' series is complex, and she acknowledges that it's art that's firmly tied to the artist. While the series was a huge part of her childhood, she recognizes that it's impossible to separate the work from its creator. ## The Book She Discovered Later in Life Perry's discovery of Doris Lessing's 'The Golden Notebook' in her 30s was a significant experience, and she believes that any time is the perfect time to discover this novel. This highlights the importance of reading and discovering new works throughout one's life, and the impact that these experiences can have on our perspectives and understanding of the world. ## The Book She is Currently Reading Perry is currently reading Augustine Cerf's 'Compensation', which she describes as brilliant, and Jamaica Kincaid's 'My Garden (Book)', which she often picks up and reads between other things. She is also rereading AK Blakemore's 'Doom Painting', which she praises as a phenomenal achievement. ## Her Comfort Read Perry's comfort read is Gboyega Odubanjo's poetry collection 'Adam', which she keeps on the shelf directly above her desk. When the loss of Odubanjo feels particularly impossible, she takes down the book, reads a poem, and remembers that he is still present on the page. This highlights the importance of reading as a source of comfort and solace, and the role that it plays in helping us cope with loss and difficult emotions. As Perry's reading journey continues to evolve, it's clear that her love for literature remains a constant source of inspiration and guidance. Her experiences, from her earliest memories of reading to her current obsessions, serve as a testament to the transformative power of words and the impact that reading can have on our lives.